PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has urged ministers, their deputies and permanent secretaries to be results-oriented and avoid giving reports on planned tasks or activities.
Addressing top government officials in Harare, Thursday at the High-Level Government Retreat, President Mnangagwa said it was not ‘business as usual’ as collective implementation of policies should be the norm to achieve expected goals.
Mnangagwa called for an open-door policy which he said must be the norm and not an exception, hence, stakeholder engagement and dialogue, must be promoted.
“You, the incoming ministers and permanent secretaries, will be measured by the agility and innovativeness towards accelerating our economic growth, modernisation, Industrialisation and global competitiveness.
“It is not ‘business as usual’. Hard, honest work should be ingrained at every level of our government. We must collectively implement bold policies to achieve impactful results. It is essential that the public sector now shifts from reporting on activities and tasks, to reporting on results, outputs and outcomes,” he said.
Parastatals have struggled over the years due to maladministration and corruption bleeding them millions of US$.
The National Social Security Authority (NSSA) which manages the pensioners’ funds for example, has seen ministers and chief executive officers being dragged to court over alleged corruption.
Mnangagwa called for the institutions’ systems and processes to have a continuous integration strengthened through the management system and be integrated results-based.
The President also told the state employees to improve social services, education, health and utilities across the nation; enhancing the transport system and other infrastructure, in both rural and urban communities and ensuring that the country’s rich mineral resource base benefits the people of our country.
“We must also continue to enhance good corporate governance, entrench transparency and accountability, as well as generate value for money to the citizenry. It is incumbent that we extend our reform process to the public entities to guarantee their viability and profitability. Zimbabwe should develop through benchmarking government services against those of other jurisdictions
“Our people deserve quality, affordable and accessible services. Under our watch, as members of the executive, more of our people must be taken out of poverty into prosperity, especially the vulnerable, women and youth. To achieve this, servant leadership, continuous learning and the responsive implementation of policies and projects remain integral,” he added.
He, however, denounced a silo mentality and turf wars saying these had no place in his administration.
Added Mnangagwa, “This country belongs to the people and not to us. In whatever we do, let us respect the people, especially the elderly people, because their perception of the government is based on who they come into contact with. Hence, if you are arrogant, they will think that we are all arrogant; personally, I am not arrogant. You must be humble and simple. Never abuse the people.
“Government must continue to create an enabling environment for investment. It is my expectation that, over the next five years, Government business will be anchored by the “Whole of Economy and Society Approach to Development.”
Source NewZimbabwe
