The Sunday News
Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
THE Government has said Public-Private sector collaboration continues to build on the Second Republic, a welcome development as it dovetails with President Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030 for the nation.
The Government crafted and adopted the Vision 2030 economic blueprint, in which the nation committed to facilitating an open and growing economy through policies such as the Zimbabwe National Industrial Development Policy (ZNIDP).
“The success of these policies depends on the private sector playing a leading role in driving the economy, while Government continuously and consistently provides a conducive environment for the private sector to operate,” said the Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga in a keynote address read on his behalf by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce Permanent Secretary Dr Mavis Sibanda at the 2022 Innotec Consultancy Services (ICS) Economy Drivers Awards in Bulawayo last week.
VICE President, Dr Constantino Chiwenga
The awards which ran concurrently with the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) 2022 were themed: “Driving Towards an Upper Middle Income Economy by 2030”.
VP Chiwenga said the individual and collective performance of key players in various economic sectors was essential for attainment of Vision 2030 and the ICS Economy Drivers Awards sought to give national recognition of the efforts.
“These awards are indeed a recognition and appreciation of outstanding and dedicated efforts by our businesses as they contribute towards economic development and growth through employment creation, fiscal contribution, investment, new technologies and exports among others.”
Minister of State for Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Judith Ncube in a speech read on her behalf by Bulawayo Secretary for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Mr Paul Nyoni said the Second Republic was playing its part by creating a conducive environment for businesses to operate optimally. She said the awards ceremony could not have come at a better time given the national event (ZITF 2022) that had brought thousands to converge on the city.
Minister Judith Ncube
Innotec Group executive chairman Mr Togarepi Matowa Philemon said the ICS Economy Drivers Awards were a private sector initiative meant to support the Government’s plans to turn Zimbabwe into a middle-income economy by 2030.
“Today we are hosting the inaugural ICS Economy Drivers Awards, almost four years after the idea was first conceived.
As Innotec, we are simply responding to the Government’s challenge to corporate citizens to participate in efforts to rebuild the economy, by leading an initiative to create a platform that will help key economy drivers to receive recognition and appreciation for their role in Zimbabwe’s economic transformation.”
He said as an organisation they were determined to help change the individual, corporate and national narrative and help achieve the vision of a prosperous Zimbabwe.
Innotec is a socio-economic development consultancy services organisation that works closely with public and private sector institutions in the country and beyond to assist in nurturing a conducive environment for inclusive development.
Awards were presented to businesses in 15 categories that include agriculture, transport and energy, construction and infrastructure development, manufacturing, mining, banking and finance, and ICT and telecommunications, among others.
