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George Maponga in MUTARE

The media has been exhorted to create a positive narrative on the country as negative perception has a premium on the value accrued from the nation’s natural resources such as minerals like diamonds.

Manicaland Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Advocate Misheck Mugadza told scores of local and international journalists at a media workshop in Mutare that the media plays a key role in shaping public perception.

The workshop was organised by the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) in conjunction with the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) to equip the media and help achieve informative and responsible diamond mining reporting.

ZCDC is 100 percent owned by Government and is mining gems at the world-acclaimed Chiadzwa fields.

Minister Mugadza said the Second Republic under President Mnangagwa is implementing an engagement and re-engagement framework with the media playing a pivotal role in its implementation.

He told journalists that negative perceptions about Zimbabwe impinged on the value of locally produced mineral resources.

“Negative perceptions about our country minimises the value that we derive from our natural resources. Zimbabwe boasts of more than 60 mineral resources and I am proud that the province you have visited today also boasts of having these minerals,” said Minister Mugadza.

He commended ZCDC for exposing itself to scrutiny by inviting the media in situ to have a full understanding and comprehension of its operations which showed an affinity for openness and transparency.

The four-day workshop will reach a crescendo with journalists visiting the ZCDC diamond mine at Chiadzwa to have a physical appreciation of developments of the ground.

ZCDC finance and business analyst Mr Albert Norumedzo also underscored the importance of perception having a premium on a precious resource like a diamond challenging the media to use its inherent agenda setting capacity to help create a positive narrative about the country’s gems mined at Chiadzwa.

The ZCDC head of public relations and community development Mr Sugar Chagonda said the State diamond miner has nothing to hide and is open to scrutiny as its operations were above board with its focus fixated ensuring development in local communities and the nation at large through sustainable diamond mining at Chiadzwa.