The Sunday News
Nqobizitha Dhlamini Business Reporter
ZIMBABWE is fast catching up with the continent’s most infrastructurally developed countries with the Government undertaking a number of projects aimed at improving the country’s infrastructure over the years.Transport and Infrastructure Development Minister, Dr Obert Mpofu, said the fact that Zimbabwe’s infrastructural development projects such as power, road, rail and air had managed to get the attention of other countries on the continent, was a clear indication that the country was moving in the right direction towards turning around its economy.
He said this following the recent visit by Ghanaian Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Alhaji Inusah Fuseini who was on a feasibility and fact finding mission on the country’s road and air infrastructure.
“The Ghanaian Minister (Fuseini) specifically visited the country to view the developments that have taken place concerning roads, railway and airports as we have made commendable developments in as far as those areas are concerned.
“The delegation from Ghana toured the country so as to adopt certain measure taken by Zimbabwe to develop hence this shows that the country is making commendable development,” Dr Mpofu said.
He said the delegation was impressed with the country’s airports especially the Victoria Falls International Airport which is undergoing a $150 million facelift.
“We have always done business with the Western African country and it is our hope that these relations are not severed so we can continue to engage in beneficial partnerships in future,” he said.
The delegation also took time to meet the Zimbabwe National Road Administration officials to seek ways of implementing the measures it took to rehabilitate the country’s roads back home.
Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries president Mr Charles Msipa said it was of importance for Government to channel more funds towards infrastructural development since this was the pillar in ensuring the turnaround of the country’s economy.
“Infrastructure can be a barrier to economic progress hence it is a good development that the Government is making these infrastructural investments especially on the roads and the Victoria Falls Airport that is currently undergoing renovations. This airport holds much importance considering the foreign currency that is generated through tourism,” he said.
He said it was high time Government shifted its attention towards rehabilitating the country’s rail system, power generation and water supplies.
In most African countries, particularly the lower-income countries, infrastructure is a major constraint on doing business, and is found to depress firm productivity by around 40 percent.
For most countries, the negative impact of deficient infrastructure is at least as large as that associated with corruption, crime, financial market and red tape constraints.
