By Rudo Saungweme         

Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Professor Mthuli Ncube has explained the criteria that will be used to allocate the resources under the process of devolution, saying the criteria will be guided by three principles.

The minister said this at a breakfast meeting in Bulawayo today with the Zimbabwe Christian Alliance Organisation.

In his address, Professor Ncube said, “The allocation formula in districts will be guided by three principles that is, poverty mechanism, quality of infrastructure and the size of the population.”

Professor Ncube added that the Ministry is cognisant of the level of poverty map for Zimbabwe.

He highlighted that devolution will ensure that Provinces drive their own development and that it will be bottom-top approach.

“I would like to see a day where we say, this is Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for Lupane and other districts we all know. We will be witnessing development as a bottom-up approach rather than a top-down process,” said Minister Ncube.

Professor Ncube assured the people present that the Government will not take money from the Provinces after devolution has been implemented.

“When devolution is implemented, we will not want money from the Provinces because as Government, we know how to make our own money.”

Out of the $310 million allocated to devolution, 25% will be applied at Provincial level and the 75% at district level.

The devolution of power to local and provincial councils will help to achieve fair and balanced development through Provincial and Metropolitan Councils, which are allowed by the Constitution to set local development priorities, Harare Post has learnt.