A coordination committee between the ministries of Health and Child Care and Finance and Economic Development, will be established next month to disburse budgetary funds and identify priority areas for funding.
This was said by Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube during debate on the 2022 National Budget in the Senate this week.
“Come January 2023, we will establish a coordination committee between the Ministry of Finance the Ministry of Health, which will meet to discuss budget priorities.
“This committee will sit every week and see where we are in terms of priority programmes, is it equipment or drug acquisition or physical infrastructure or whatever it is, will be prioritised from the discussions,” he said.
A similar arrangement was in place for the Ministry of Agriculture.
Prof Ncube added that Government was crafting ways of initiating public-private partnerships that would ensure vulnerable communities have access to affordable and decent health care.
Senators who contributed during the debate commended the Government for its efforts to develop the country despite the illegal sanctions imposed on the country.
Senator Alice Chimbudzi said Zimbabwe should speak in unison against the sanctions.
“Government is doing all it can to develop the country but is being drawn back by sanctions. We should all call for their removal because they are inhibiting development,” said Sen Chimbudzi.
She thanked Prof Ncube for recognising SMEs, small-scale miners and called for more Government support for the sectors because of their contribution to economic growth. Sen Eleven Kambizi also said Zimbabweans should all call for the removal of sanctions.
“Other African countries are speaking louder on the removal of sanctions and it’s time we should all call for their removal,” he said.
Sen Kambizi praised the review of the tax-free threshold from $900 000 to $1,1 million per annum, saying it would cushion workers against the rising cost of living.
Sen Tambudzani Mohadi called for timely disbursements of budgeted funds to ministries to ensure they implement their programmes on time.
“It is a good Budget but my issue is on disbursement of funds. The Minister should expedite the disbursements so that ministries can implement their projects,” she said.
Sen Mohadi also said SMEs should be supported, especially those run by women because they are contributing significantly to the economy.
Sen Chief Ndlovu said the economy was highly informal so there was need for budgetary support for SMEs so they grow and formalise. – The Herald
