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Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter

Government has started working on a comprehensive report of the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme first phase that has been embarked upon by the Second Republic which has seen a huge transformation of road infrastructure.

Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona told Senators during question time that he is compiling a report on ERRP that he will table before Parliament to allow legislators and the nation to have an appreciation of the ground covered, resources used and other related pertinent information.

He implored legislators to help his Ministry to lobby Treasury to allocate significant resources to allow the continuation of the programme, which he said was a huge success.

Senators had commended what Government through his Ministry was doing to improve roads network and wanted to know if targets would be met.

“I feel humbled by the compliments from Senate. The ERRP is expected to run for three years and we are in the first phase of the programme.

“I have been asked to give a comprehensive report about the programme highlighting what have been covered to date, the type of work, which roads and the resources that have been used. We are almost everywhere. I also appeal to you as legislators to support the programme in the 2022 national budget which will be delivered soon. We need resources to push the programme,” said Minister Mhona.

Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona (right) responds during a Question and Answer session in the Senate, while Health and Child Care Deputy Minister Dr John Mangwiro (centre) and Chiefs Council president Chief Fortune Charumbira follow proceedings in Harare yesterday. — Picture: Memory Mangombe

He said the road rehabilitation will also include road signage to give guidance and directions to motorists.

Politicians, said Minister Mhona, should also desist from putting graffiti on road signage as the country nears to 2023 harmonised elections as it had the effect of defacing signage.

Responding to another question, Health and Child Care Deputy Minister Mangwiro said Government was working on a cocktail of measures to improve both economic and social welfare of health workers such as medical doctors.

Deputy Minister John Mangwiro said these include construction of residential houses such as flats at hospitals, duty free vehicles, recreation facilities and competitive remuneration.

Legislators wanted to know what Government was doing to improve the working conditions of medical doctors.

“We are committed to improve the lives of medical doctors and other health workers.

“We are procuring equipment for them to use such as Personal Protective Equipment most of which is locally procured. We also know that our medical doctors need to be mobile so we are helping them to have duty free vehicles.

“We have also started constructing houses for our doctors,” said Deputy Minister Mangwiro.

He said they were collaborating with the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities in construction of houses.

Chiefs Council president Fortune Charumbira wanted to know whether the same facilities were extended to rural and mission school health workers.

“As Government we are not going to leave anyone behind. We are working with the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities to collaborate with private sector. These are the projects that we have already started,” said Deputy Minister Mangwiro.

Mines and Mining Development Deputy Minister Polite Kambamura said they were coming up with a policy framework to ensure land reclamation after extraction of minerals at a mine