By Sifelani Murambiwa.
Zimbabwe. (News Of The South) – Suspended Zanu PF Chipinge South Legislator Enock Porusingazi has rubbished claims levelled by villagers against the Chisumbanje Ethanol Plant calling them lies peddled by elements who are against the gains of Zim Asset.
The developments came barely a week after villagers alleged that the Ethanol producing giant has brought no meaningful benefit to the area owing to high levels of pollution with others sobbing their piles of land which they grow on cotton on have been absorbed by the project.
Some villagers allege that road accidents have been very common on the Checheche- Tanganda highway mainly because the state-of-the-road has been compromised due to the heavy vehicles carrying Ethanol and Sugarcane to and from the mill respectively.
Porusingazi said the company created vast employment opportunities for Zimbabweans and this was a welcome development as the country is targeting the creation of more employment opportunities.
He said displaced farmers are now producing under irrigation and this is giving them a three cropping season per year.
“Green Fuel brought more joy for Chisumbanje and Chipinge at large. Employment was created for locals and other Zimbabweans drawn from all over the country. Subsistence farmers who were only growing cotton once a year are now producing at their 1.5 hectares of land which is under irrigation and this gives them three cropping seasons per year.
“It’s not 1.5 hectares for one family but the wife would have his own, father, sons and daughters who are grownups would have their own pieces of land so it’s a very important development,” said Porusingazi.
He added that subsistence farmers are now producing more horticultural products despite the fact that some elements are totally against the coming of the Ethanol Project.
“Its very common that whatever project people embark on you must be prepared of negative thoughts. These people used to produce cotton which has a very shrinking market and that year price conflict between ginneries and farmers is what made most farmers who benefitted from the Green Fuel irrigation schemes embrace horticulture production,” added Porusingazi.
Villager Head under Chief Lovemore Mahachi however criticised Porusingazi saying he must stop defending a company which is fuelling equities among the Chisumbunje community.
Mahachi said there are unprecedented levels of pollution whilst a fleet of haulage trucks are damaging the roads which are fuelling road accidents.
“This road (Checheche-Tanganda Highway) was constructed not in anticipation of heavy traffic flows as we are witnessing. The map of Chisumbanje had a plan for a railway line and that is the very best mode of transport to use in such a project. If they want to use road they must develop their own which would be dedicated to haulage trucks because they are damaging the road and the company is not repairing,” said Mahachi.
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