Staff Reporter
Government has approved war veterans’ empowerment syndicates, and strategic development and expansion projects aimed at achieving the US$12 billion milestone.
Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Monica Mutsvangwa also informed the public that, there would be extensions to current special grants which had been successfully exploited.
“Cabinet also approved a number of special grant applications in the following categories: extension to current special grants which have successfully been exploited; empowerment of war veterans’ syndicates; and strategic development and expansion projects towards the US$12 billion milestones,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
To ensure coordination between miners and traders, Government has directed that all chrome ores will now be traded through a Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) Chrome Ores Coordination Committee which will be responsible for setting quarterly prices for chrome ore.
“The public is advised that Cabinet agreed to a policy change whereby all chrome ores will be traded through the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ). The MMCZ, through a Chrome Ores Coordination Committee, will set quarterly prices of chrome ore which miners and traders will trade at. The committee will comprise representatives of Smelters and the Chrome Small-Scale Miners Association,” Minister Mutsvangwa said.
A member of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA), Paul Gumbo said empowerment of war veterans was a good and speedy response by Government considering that the liberation requested for such initiatives at the launch of the ZANU PF War Veterans league in September 2022.
“We are grateful to such a speedy response to one of the requests we made in September 2022. We hope to also add value to our mining sector and assist in achieving the US$12 billion mark by 2023,” said Gumbo.
Since the advent of the Second Republic, an ambitious target of acquiring a US$12 billion mining sector was set. Continuous engagements with mining stakeholders have resulted in overhauling of mining policies and surpassing US$7.5 billion mark so far.
