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Leonard Ncube–Senior Business Reporter

THE Ministry of Industry and Commerce is set to deploy directors to be permanently stationed in all the country’s provinces to ensure improved services in line with the Government’s devolution policy.

The decision is expected to promote rural industrialisation by facilitating local decision making and supporting growth of small holder businesses.

Speaking during a recent consultative meeting organised by the ministry in Matabeleland North to gather citizens’ views towards drafting of a Bill to harmonise quality standards and come up with a national standard for the country, the director for legal services in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Mr Never Katiyo, said offices will be opened in all provinces and districts that previously did not have representation.

He said the move was meant to ensure that the ministry becomes visible countrywide.

“We are establishing offices in every province as we align ourselves with the policy of devolution. Very soon we will be having directors at provincial level, which means that decisions will now be done locally,” said Mr Katiyo. He did not give timeliness saying this was work in progress.

Mr Katiyo was responding to concerns from stakeholders in Matabeleland North who attended the meeting and expressed concern over centralization of Government services and decision making.

Participants said there was a need to decentralise offices and services, including the national quality standards making process, so that everyone has an opportunity to contribute. Mr Katiyo said the envisioned goal was to come up with a one-stop-information shop in the ministry at provincial level.

“We have officers at every level and we now want directors to be at provincial level. This is in the plans as we want all information to be under one roof locally,” he said.

He said participation of every citizen in any economic activity was important as it guides policy making hence the need for citizens to be exposed to services in their own areas.

The Government came up with a devolution strategy as part of the broader measures to promote inclusive development and access to national resources that benefits all grassroots communities.