This was said by MDC-T Parliamentary candidate, Golden Mutize, at Biti’s 2012 national budget consultation meeting here recently.
“Murewa Centre is an agro-business hub of activity and it would be most appropriate if government constructed technical colleges and processing industries here. Surrounding districts such as Mudzi, Mtoko, Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe and Murewa are high producers of agriculture produce such as tomatoes, mangoes among various other crops.
Since Murewa is developing into a town and was situated at the centre of other districts, introduction of colleges offering food processing skills would help empower youths from the area. Processing industries would absorb skilled labour from the colleges and turn idle youths into productive members of society. There is no good reason for government to provide basic school education to children without creating future job opportunities for them,” Mutize told Biti.
Mutize said it was disturbing to note that colleges were mainly found in bigger towns and cities, a situation which disadvantaged rural children without relatives living closer to the institutions.
“If government could also provide funds towards installation of irrigation infrastructure at the under-utilised Murewa Dam, youths would venture into income generating irrigation activities,” he added.
Biti was also urged to assist the local council with grants to service both commercial and residential stands. “Council was allocating un-serviced stands to residents due to financial constraints. Minister would your offices assist with grants for council to provide infrastructure such as roads, sewer system and water before allocating stands to beneficiaries. The current situation whereby residents sink boreholes next to shallow pit latrines is a health time bomb,” warned Mutize.
He took a swipe at the local authority which collected rates from residents whose properties were not serviced, describing it as “daylight robbery”.
Post published in: News