Stephen Chadenga
Gweru philanthropist and Zanu PF Midlands women’s league provincial member Zezai Makomo has urged ‘ghetto’ youths to shun drugs and concentrate on building the country’s future economic development.
Addressing Mabhonibhoni4ED recently in Mtapa suburb, Makomo urged youths to shun drug and substance abuse saying they should instead heed President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s call to contribute towards Zimbabwe attaining an upper middle income economy by 2030.
“His Excellency President Mnangagwa has been clear in Vision 2030 that the country is moving forward to be an upper middle income economy by 2030,”she said.
“His Excellency (President Mnangagwa) has said that as the country makes economic progress to attain Vision 2030 the ultimate goal is to leave no-one and no place behind. As Midlands youths let us embrace this clarion call and support our President in this vision as we at the same time also get empowered.”
Makomo, a fighter for women and youths economic empowerment said the young generation should focus on self-help projects that economically empower them.
She said the Second Republic had provided numerous opportunities for youths and said it was up to them to “grab” the chances.
“When President Mnangagwa talks of economic empowerment of every citizen, he really means it,”she said.
She paid tribute to Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution minister Owen Ncube for his repeated calls for youths to resist drug and substance abuse saying it was a threat to national security and social fabric.
The call comes amid growing concerns of substance and drug abuse among youths, with 57% of the youth population reportedly abusing drugs.