LIVINGSTONE MARUFU
Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa has challenged local firms to pay back loans as this will open new avenues for other firms to unlock more investment.
Speaking at the commissioning of national backbone fibre optic links yesterday, President Mnangagwa said the completion will provide transit services to SADC members to be connecting to the whole world through a robust fibre network.
“The days of incomplete projects and non-payment of loans are over. I commend TelOne for the prudent manner they utilised the financial resources of this government initiated and guaranteed project,” Mnangagwa said.
“I urge all public entities to take a leaf from this good example and instill a culture of good stewardship, honest work, accountability and transparency in the implementation of national projects.”
He was confident that the robust infrastructure commissioned yesterday would help the company to attract the most suitable strategic partners.
The project is set to have a far reaching impact towards the attainment of the national vision as it relates to ICT where people envisage to have internet access at village level by 2030.
TelOne got a US$98 million loan facility through China Eximbank which enabled the timely completion of this project.
This investment has a transformative impact for economic growth, modernisation and industrialisation of the economy.
The Beitbridge project took US$23,6 million of the US$98 million.
The project began in 2017.
