The Chronicle
The success of the ongoing US$300 million Beitbridge Border Post Modernisation project is a confirmation of what can be achieved when Government and the private sector partner to develop the country.
Money – Image taken from PixabayThe project is being implemented through a public-private partnership arrangement between Government and ZimBorders Consortium. The ZimBorders Consortium is made up of Zimbabwean and South African businesspeople.
On Wednesday, President Mnangagwa toured completed works under the massive project which has completely changed the face of Beitbridge town.
The country as well as the entire Sadc region are already enjoying the benefits of the modernised infrastructure that has greatly improved efficiency at the border. The freight and bus terminals are now operational and travellers are already enjoying the benefits of the new infrastructure.
According to travellers and drivers of commercial vehicles, the automation of services and separation of traffic has reduced congestion which was a major challenge in the past.
The travellers said in the past they used to spend several hours to be cleared but it is now taking less than 30 minutes. President Mnangagwa said the new-look border post will ease movement of goods and people within the Sadc region and contribute to the overall industrialisation and economic growth of the region.
He said the project is also a key milestone in the operationalisation of the Integrated Beitbridge Development Master Plan. The success of the Beitbridge Border Modernisation project should encourage more companies to partner Government to implement infrastructural development projects under the Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT).
Government is implementing a number of infrastructural development projects across the country and what is encouraging is that it has engaged local companies to do the work. President Mnangagwa said the local companies that have been engaged to reconstruct the Beitbridge-Harare Highway have demonstrated their capacity to undertake such works hence Government was now moving to work on the Beitbridge-Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Highway.
The development of infrastructure such as roads is key to economic growth and we want at this juncture to implore the private sector to complement Government efforts to upgrade such infrastructure.
We want the private sector to assist in accelerating development under BOT in the different cities and towns like what has happened in Beitbridge.
Instead of just mourning about the illegal sanctions imposed on the country by the West, Government resolved to use its own resources to develop the country hence the massive infrastructural development taking place across the country.
This shows that the nation is fast building internal capacities to create wealth and expand job opportunities for its citizens and that is as it should be. Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabaninilo (nyika inovakwa nevene vayo).
Article Source: The Chronicle