Ministry Receives US$ 260K Auger Trucks under the Idai Recovery Project

By Pamela Jeti

The African Development Bank donated on Tuesday two Knuckle Boom Crane trucks to the Department of Civil Protection under the Idai Recovery programme as the project comes to an end.
The vehicles, worth US$260 000 were received by the Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works Mrs Konzani Ncube who then handed them to the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC)
Speaking during the handover AFDB country programme officer Ms Belinda Chesire highlighted that the US$424 million Idai Recovery Project started in 2019 with the aim of providing sustainable socio-economic infrastructure and institutional strengthening for disaster preparedness.
Ms Chesire honored the Government of Zimbabwe for granting them the opportunity to complement its efforts in strengthening key government agencies.
“To date PCIREP has provided nearly US$2 million worth of equipment and vehicles to the Meteorological Services Department, Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company and the Department of Civil Protection to boost capacity for disaster preparedness and response,’ she said.
The auger trucks will be used to rehabilitate all the power network affected and destroyed during Cyclone idai in Chimanimani and Chipinge.

Said Ms Chesire: “The true value of the trucks is therefore on the efficiency that they bring to the swift restoration and rehabilitation of power lines by the power supply company.”
In her acceptance speech the Acting Permanent Secretary Mrs Ncube said that following the devastating Tropical Cyclone Idai in March 2019 the initial damage assessment done concluded that US$557-US$767 million was required to support the country’s recovery and restore damaged infrastructure and livelihoods.
“It was against this background that the Post Cyclone Idai Emergency Recovery and Resilience Project (PCIREP) was established with the view to re-establish sustainable public infrastructure and restore economic activities of affected populations in the most impacted districts of Chimanimani and Chipinge, as well as strengthening the Government of Zimbabwe’s capacity in disaster preparedness and management,’ she said.

She commended AFDB for the equipment they donated to Meteorological Services Department which has resulted in a tremendous improvement in Early Warning Systems.
‘You will agree with me that disaster preparedness is a function of a robust Early Warning System and such we are pleased that at the peak of the 2022/23 Rainfall season, we have seen the forecast by the Meteorological Services Department very accurate.”
With regard to auger trucks and other items donated previously she said, “It is our wish that the trucks and previously donated items be stationed in Manicaland which has now become a pathway for all Hydro-meteorological disasters.”
The handover ceremony was also attended by officials from the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, UNOPS and engineers from ZETDC.