Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere makes his presentation during a pre-Budget seminar at the New Parliament Building in Mt Hampden yesterday.
The Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services requires $801 billion in the 2024 national budget to effectively execute its mandate of information dissemination of Government activities.
This money will also help bridge the rural urban information divide, provide broadcast signal transmission services, facilitate migration from terrestrial analogue broadcasting signal distribution to digital technology among other services.
This will enable the ministry to achieve the vision of an informed nation and international community, and help to achieve an upper middle class income economy by 2030 anchored by the National Development Strategy.
The call for more resources was made by Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere yesterday during a pre-budget seminar being attended by legislators, Treasury and stakeholders in preparation for the 2024 national budget to be presented later this month by Finance, Economic Development Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube.
He said the $801 billion was for the funding of the ministry and its agencies that include Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, Transmedia, New Ziana and Zimbabwe Film and Television School of Southern Africa.
Of major concern to the ministry, said Minister Muswere, was the need to fund the migration from terrestrial analogue broadcasting signal distribution to digital technology whose regional deadline had lapsed.
“We run the risk of being cut off in terms of International Telecommunication Union regulations. The Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe coordinates the country’s digital migration project (Zim-Digital) working in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation and Transmedia. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) deadline of June 2015 lapsed with Zimbabwe failing to meet the target due to resource constraints,” said Minister Muswere.
“At the moment, 18 transmitters out of the required 48 were installed. At this rate of funding, the project will take more than 30 years to be completed and further running a risk of plunging the project into technical obsolescence. The authority is further saddled with the capital debt of US$4.3 million to Huawei. Furthermore, the Authority is obligated to pay US$78 000 to Eutelsat for satellite services which is further handicapping the Authority.”
He said while the ministry had submitted a budget bid of $801 billion, Treasury had provisionally allocated a budget envelop of $35 billion, a figure that had an adverse effect on its operations.
“To achieve the vision of an informed nation and international community, the ministry will not be able to meet the desired targets. The provisional allocation envelop of 22 percent for this programme is inadequate. This will make it difficult to effectively and efficiently execute our mandate as enunciated in the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).”
He said there was need to fund agencies under the ministry such as the ZBC, BAZ, Transmedia and New Ziana.
Minister Muswere said they were working on legislation on revenue collection for ZBC licencing with a review to review radio licences.
Earlier on acting chairperson of the portfolio committee on Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Marondera Central MP Mr Caston Matewu implored Treasury to fund the media particularly the digitalisation programme and ZBC.
Foreign Affairs and international Trade Minister Frederick Shava said they had registered several milestones for the ministry in their engagement and reengagement efforts.
He said they had also managed to complete refurbishment of properties for their missions abroad as that would help to give impetus to the country’s image.
“Our challenge is that our budget is denominated in Zimbabwean dollar yet about 80 percent of it is foreign currency. The budget is expended in foreign currency which is affected by exchange rate fluctuations,” he said.
He said the ministry was allocated a budget envelop of $53,7 billion yet it required $499 billion in order carry out construction projects as well as purchase of properties at various Missions.
Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona said they were pursuing other funding projects for their various activities they were carrying out throughout the country.
He said the Mbudzi interchange was about 53 percent complete and what had slowed it down was the need to compensate those with properties around the works.
“We are moving with Mbudzi interchange. Yes Treasury is helping us. We must complete by second quarter of next year,” he said.
He said they had dealt with issues of looting and property stripping by some individuals at the National Railways of Zimbabwe.
He said there were some land barons that had taken over the railway company’s properties but the firm had since recovered.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Dr Anxious Shava called for funding to agriculture saying it was the primary producer of all products used in an economy.
Other ministries that made presented include Environment, Climate and Wildlife, Hospitality and Tourism, Industry and Commerce among others.
Source Zimbabwe Situation
