News / National
Gono on indigenisation
23 Sep 2011 at 06:13hrs | Views
BENEFICIARIES of past Government empowerment programmes should not be considered in the ongoing indigenisation and empowerment drive as they have proved to be inefficient in utilising the resources availed to them, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Dr. Gideon Gono has said.
In a statement, Dir Gono said the empowerment policy must not be used, to multiply pockets of inefficiency in as far as utilisation of national resources and opportunities of the country is concerned.
"For example, when an individual has benefited from the historic Land Reform Programme, and was allocated a farm(s) which they are not making full use of, those people, in our view, should not be allowed to go and multiply that failure into other sectors such as mining, manufacturing and many others, unless that beneficiary is starting his or her own entity afresh!" said Dr Gono.
The RBZ Governor said broad based empowerment model should be achieved instead of a case where resources are left to idle.
"This economy is littered with cases of productive farms lying idle, farms which have been turned into grasslands instead of maize lands, soya lands and so forth, yet we need to be utilising the available resources, including and especially the land, to advance our national economic fortunes, as^the land is the basis of our sustenance," he said.
Dr Gono said those who should benefit from the economic empowerment programme, chief among them should be women as he says they continue to play the role of primary caregivers.
"The empowerment of women cascades to vulnerable groups in society such as children and the elderly. Empowering women starts with economic empowerment, providing women with tools so that they are economically independent. This should be done in order to ensure that women can be breadwinners of the family," he said.
He said at least women should control 30 percent of supplier companies and cross border women should be exempted from paying duty as a way of empowering them economically.
"Some sectors should be reserved for women such as clothing, food, and hair dressing and at least 30 percent of supplier companies should be controlled by women. If women are provided with economic power, they can build their economic standing," he said.
He added that international and local Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) should be encouraged and even required to prioritise women groups in the consultancy services requirements, supply of goods and services, maintenance of their vehicle fleets, equipment and machinery, as well as in their intervention programmes and projects.
Dr Gono said he was not against the indigenisation policy but was instead against the fact that a few connected cliques of people benefit while the majority of intended beneficiaries remain with nothing as witnessed in the past.
He added that the implementation of the policy should respond to the eight United Nations (UN) Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
"The model must also respond to, and tackle, each of the eight United Nations (MDGs), namely the eradication of extreme poverty, support towards the achievement of universal primary education, promotion of gender equality and empowerment of women (and the youths), reduction of child mortality, improvement in maternal health, combating of HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, ensuring and assisting environmental sustainability and assist in the development of global partnerships for development."
In a statement, Dir Gono said the empowerment policy must not be used, to multiply pockets of inefficiency in as far as utilisation of national resources and opportunities of the country is concerned.
"For example, when an individual has benefited from the historic Land Reform Programme, and was allocated a farm(s) which they are not making full use of, those people, in our view, should not be allowed to go and multiply that failure into other sectors such as mining, manufacturing and many others, unless that beneficiary is starting his or her own entity afresh!" said Dr Gono.
The RBZ Governor said broad based empowerment model should be achieved instead of a case where resources are left to idle.
"This economy is littered with cases of productive farms lying idle, farms which have been turned into grasslands instead of maize lands, soya lands and so forth, yet we need to be utilising the available resources, including and especially the land, to advance our national economic fortunes, as^the land is the basis of our sustenance," he said.
Dr Gono said those who should benefit from the economic empowerment programme, chief among them should be women as he says they continue to play the role of primary caregivers.
"The empowerment of women cascades to vulnerable groups in society such as children and the elderly. Empowering women starts with economic empowerment, providing women with tools so that they are economically independent. This should be done in order to ensure that women can be breadwinners of the family," he said.
He said at least women should control 30 percent of supplier companies and cross border women should be exempted from paying duty as a way of empowering them economically.
"Some sectors should be reserved for women such as clothing, food, and hair dressing and at least 30 percent of supplier companies should be controlled by women. If women are provided with economic power, they can build their economic standing," he said.
He added that international and local Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) should be encouraged and even required to prioritise women groups in the consultancy services requirements, supply of goods and services, maintenance of their vehicle fleets, equipment and machinery, as well as in their intervention programmes and projects.
Dr Gono said he was not against the indigenisation policy but was instead against the fact that a few connected cliques of people benefit while the majority of intended beneficiaries remain with nothing as witnessed in the past.
He added that the implementation of the policy should respond to the eight United Nations (UN) Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
"The model must also respond to, and tackle, each of the eight United Nations (MDGs), namely the eradication of extreme poverty, support towards the achievement of universal primary education, promotion of gender equality and empowerment of women (and the youths), reduction of child mortality, improvement in maternal health, combating of HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, ensuring and assisting environmental sustainability and assist in the development of global partnerships for development."
Source - chronicle
