By Staff reporter
Bubi Rural District Council (BRDC) in Matabeleland North Province has witnessed a major transformation in terms of infrastructure development buoyed by devolution funds allocated to the district by Government.
A tour by the Harare Post in some parts of the district revealed that the district has managed to resume existing projects that had stalled and start new ones due to lack of funds prior to the enacted devolution policy.
BRDC Chairperson, Cookie Moyo revealed that the district was allocated ZWL9, 2 million under devolution funds and procured a four wheel drive 80HP tractor and plough.
Other projects under implementation in the district include computerization of council offices; construction of a classroom block at Bubi, Battlefields and Siphekeni Primary Schools; construction of Bona clinic and staff houses as well as drilling of four boreholes.
Moyo said life would not be the same in the district.
“The successful implementation of these projects will improve the livelihoods of Bubi district communities. We are grateful to government for the initiative. Our pledge to Government is that we will put the funds to good use,” she said.
In 2020, total devolution allocation was ZWL$2.93 billion, of which ZWL$703.8 million was disbursed by 30 September 2020. These resources supported various impactful projects being undertaken at the community level in the areas of health, education, water and sanitation, roads, among others.
BRDC Chief Executive Officer, Dr Patson Mlilo said the stable economic environment has facilitated the smooth implementation of the projects.
“We had challenges in the past due to high inflation rate but now inflation has gone, and we are successfully stabilizing the prices of goods and services. We can now plan well ahead something we could not do in the past,” Mlilo said.
An allocation of ZWL$19.5 billion has been proposed for 2021, consistent with the constitution, to be allocated to Provincial Councils and Local Authorities and respective authorities are urged to prioritize water and sanitation, health services, education and road infrastructure, in view of challenges in these areas.
