HOME Affairs minister Obert Mpofu has revealed that plans to open the Matabeleland North provincial passport office were at an advanced stage as the government moves to decentralise its services in line with its 100-day rapid results programme.
By Nokuthaba Dlamini
Mpofu told Southern Eye last week that officials from the Local Government and Public Works ministry were polishing up the structures in Lupane in preparation for the commissioning ceremony.
He said the provincial passport office should come as good news to residents of Matabeleland North province who, before the new facility, used to obtain the documents in Bulawayo.
“That should’ve been done some time back, but there were issues that needed to be addressed before the building could be usable. So that has been addressed and we are happy that it will be functional very soon as part of our 100-day projections,” he said.
“Government buildings are built by the Department of Public Works and it’s only when they have certified the building as suitable for usage and we just move in to commission them. But those things have been addressed as we were waiting for them to complete their survey. There was also an issue of water, and l believe the Ministry of Water has given them funding for connection.
“Government is working flat out to also address housing issues because the whole idea is to get the civil servants that are employed in Lupane to relocate and stay there but they have to be accommodated and ministry of local governance in on that.”
