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Bulawayo Bureau

The Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP2) has registered huge milestones since its launch and this year Government is exhibiting its achievements at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair which started in Bulawayo yesterday.

Government is using the exhibition as the launch pad for the broader ERRP2 publicity strategy that will be cascaded to all provinces soon, showcasing flagship projects championed by President Mnangagwa and the Second Republic.

The ERRP2 visibility and publicity activities will be undertaken through road shows and other educational initiatives.

Chairperson of the ERRP2 steering committee who is also the Permanent Secretary in Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s office Mrs Marcia Nyanda said that the major reason for exhibiting ERRP2 at this year’s edition of ZITF was to amplify the sterling infrastructural development works being implemented across the country.

“The Second Republic under the leadership of President Mnangagwa has accelerated and prioritised the rehabilitation of our road network under ERRP2 as a key economic enabler,” said Mrs Nyanda.

“Therefore, there is need to give fresh impetus and rejuvenated momentum in the communication strategy to ensure that the success stories and milestones of the Second Republic permeates the fabric of our national populace.

“As the steering committee we resolved that the ZITF was the most ideal platform to launch this strategy given the diverse nature of both local and international exhibitors who grace such occasions.

“This will help the citizenry to understand and appreciate the good work that the Second Republic in transforming the lives of our people. We are also using this opportunity to sensitise people on the objectives of ERRP2 and increase public awareness.”

Mrs Nyanda said Government will use ERRP2’s exhibition at the ZITF to mobilise investor participation in its developmental programmes.

She said the ERRP2 programme was a national initiative that would not leave any community or any person behind in line with President Mnangagwa’s vision of creating an upper middle-income economy by 2030.

Said Mrs Nyanda: “Our ZITF exhibition is packaged in a unique form that tells the complete story of the ERRP2. We have created four zones showing the story from the declaration of a state of disaster for all roads by President Mnangagwa to the current state where now have some completed road works while other works are still in progress. It is not a secret that the ERRP2 has so far played an important role in facilitating trade and free movement of goods in various parts of our country and beyond our own borders.”

Mrs Nyanda further added ERRP2 was critical in creating jobs in various local communities and also facilitating the South-North corridor trade with countries such as Eswatini, South Africa and Lesotho.