Let's work beyond call of duty, says Mliswa

NEWLY-appointed Minister of State for Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs Mary Mliswa says the province will develop through consolidation of agriculture, mining and tourism.

This, Minister Mliswa says, would be achieved through luring investors into the province and adopting a business approach to its affairs. This, she said, would be complemented by the reorientation of Government workers who are now expected to work beyond their call of duty. In a wide-ranging interview recently, Minister Mliswa declared that it wouldn't be business as usual in Mashonaland West.

"As Mashonaland West we are looking at development in our province and luring investors. We are saying Mashonaland West Province is open for business," she said.

"With devolution, our province has to produce and it has to deliver. I will look at it like a business model, so we have to make a profit as a province. If we do not work hard we make a loss."

Minister Mliswa said her office would work with all stakeholders to realise development in the province. On Government workers, the Minister said the civil servants are expected to work hard for the development of the province.

"To all heads of department, it is no longer business as usual as we will be working above and beyond the call of duty to achieve our dream for Mashonaland West for it to be Mashonaland Best," she said.

Minister Mliswa said artisanal miners in the province had shown great potential adding that they should form cooperatives so that they get assistance from Government. Being a mineral-rich province, she said, Mashonaland West should derive value from mining gold, platinum and graphite among others.

"We have platinum, gold and even graphite, which we believe can be exploited and contribute towards the growth of the province.

"Small scale miners need to come together so that they get Government support to increase production," she said. Minister Mliswa urged farmers to take advantage Government supported programmes such as Command Agriculture to enhance production.

She said Mashonaland West should ensure maximum production on the farms endowed with rich soils and good rainfall distribution patterns. Her mission, Minister Mliswa said, was to repay the trust shown in women by President Mnangagwa through delivering while showing that women can also perform at the highest level.

Minister Mliswa was recently appointed to lead Mashonaland West province at a time Government is devolving power and some administrative functions to the provinces. Provinces are expected to measure their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which will feed into the national GDP.