BY KENNETH NYANGANI
TRANSPORT minister Joel Biggie Matiza yesterday said government was alarmed with the level of corruption perpetrated by officials in State entities in the transport sector.
Officially opening a strategic planning workshop organised by his ministry in Mutare yesterday, Matiza said government was committed to fighting corruption at all levels.
“It is sad to note the alarming level of corruption in the transport sector. Your presence here is not only to discuss business processes and to forget about ethical dilemmas affecting government operations. I hope you can attach as much importance as I do to the fight against corruption,” he said “The role of government is to ensure inclusive development, corruption especially harms the poor. They are the ones most in need of public goods but they cannot obtain the services just because they cannot pay a bribe.
“That alone is discriminatory and should stop. The government also loses the much-needed revenue to corruption. We take umbrage and deep exception to corruption and incompetence accusations levelled against some of our departments and parastatals, but that will not change public’s perception.”
Matiza applauded government’s transitional stabilisation programme blueprint which he said had guided the implementation and performance of State enterprises since 2018.
“The first phase of austerity ended last year and stabilised the economy through fiscal and financial reforms. The government is now geared towards the second phase that of increased productivity accompanied by radical socio-economic transformation,” he said.
