BY KENNETH NYANGANI
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday applauded the country’s manufacturing sector for being resilient despite the natural disasters, COVID-19 and economic challenges faced by the country.
He made the remarks in Mutare after touring the Wattle Company, Willoton Group and Mega-market.
Mnangagwa was accompanied by several government ministers including Defence minister Oppah Muchinguri, State Security minister Owen Ncube, Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa, Manicaland Provincial Affairs minister Nokuthula Matsikenyere, Trade and Industry minister Sekai Nzenza, and several government officials.
Mnangagwa gave his key note address at Mega-market where he commissioned a US$25 million milling plant.
“My government is indeed alive to the challenges faced by the industry and we can solve our problems in the spirit of dialogue, we want an economic environment where all of us in the public and private sectors say that all our challenges are ours,” he said.
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“As the government, we applaud the manufacturing sector for remaining resilient despite the natural disasters, illegal sanctions and lately the COVID-19.”
He added: “Despite all these disasters, constraints in the growth of the economy, forget about the illegal sanctions, let us focus on the resources found in our beautiful Zimbabwe and peace and unity in the country. We will build our country brick by brick and stone by stone. We have friends in Africa and outside the continent.
“We need focus and chart the way forward, the sanctions have made us to be ourselves, we should be proud of our nation.”
Matsikenyere said under the new dispensation, several companies were retooling.
“In recent times, in our province, we witnessed our companies closing shops due to the shortage of foreign currency, competition from cheap imports, but under the new dispensation, our companies are on a rebound and most companies are retooling,” she said.
She said the state-of-the-art-equipment purchased by the three companies would boost the province’s economy.
“Manicaland is open for business which is your (Mnangagwa) mantra,” she said.
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