By Owen Mandovha
THE Government ministries have welcomed allocations they received in the 2023 national budget, with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education receiving the largest chunk followed by the Health and Child Care portfolio.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education received the biggest chunk of ZWL$ 631.3 billion while that of Health and Child Care got the second biggest amount of ZWL$ 473.8 billion from the treasury in the 2023 national budget.
Vice President General Retired Dr Constantino Chiwenga who is also the Minister of Health and Child Care was pleased with the allocation.
“Creating a vibrant health sector is essential if we need to achieve our economic aspirations. Though we always wish to have more, at the top of our priority is the welfare of our healthcare workers and ensuring that we equip all clinics and hospitals with requisite provisions,” said Dr Chiwenga.
It was a similar expression by National Housing and Social Amenities; Local Government and Public Works; Mines and Mining development as well as ICT, Postal and Courier Services portfolios.
“Housing sector development is mostly private sector driven but in this instance, the budget responds to further facilitating broader housing development by Government and we are happy by this allocation,” said Honourable Daniel Garwe, the Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities, whose ministry was allocated ZWL$27.7 billion.
“The budget implements the mining policy to pay royalties in mining commodities which will ensure that we will internalize and preserve our own resources,” said the Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Polite Kambamura after the ministry was allocated ZWL$12.9 billion.
“In our quest to digitise our economy, it was quite noticeable that treasury is walking the talk and the allocation of ZWL$17.4 billion will further drive the implementation of our ICT policy in terms of growing the ICT infrastructure,” said Jenfan Muswere, ICT, Postal and Courier Services minister.
Industry was the biggest beneficiary of the fiscal policy after the downward review of the Intermediate Money Transfer Tax from four to two percent, which will lower the cost of doing business, while the scrapping of the duty-free importation of basic goods is expected to enhance local content policy.