DEVELOPING a real and genuine people’s economy is never a stroll in the park.

It entails the summoning and maximum use of sound and solid policies.

It is formed on the basis of people-oriented programmes.

There are many possibilities, processes and policy interventions required.

These processes are enshrined in the principle of ‘people first’.

There too are many pitfalls that await such processes.

There is the mandatory requirement of harnessing all available resources.

These resources, as one would expect, come in many forms, shapes and sizes.

But the most important of these resources is the human capital base.

This is where any economy draws its strength from.

This is where any nation derives pride and success from.

And significantly, this is where real development comes from.

Ours is a country that has an edge over other nations in many respects.

We have the land.

We have the minerals.

We have the capacity.

But, most importantly, we have the human capital base to deliver on the country’s prospects and aspirations.

As the country slowly settles into the realm of Vision 2030, there is so much that can be done to achieve our target before the set date.

The opportunities abound.

They are there for the taking.

Our mining sector is a low hanging fruit for many reasons.

It is a greenfield that is eagerly waiting to be explored.

Yet it has not been fully explored.

Before we even talk about exploitation of the same, we first need to embark on a full scale exploration of the sector.

This will help us in quantifying what we have on the ground.

So far, we have been relying on estimates which range from one source to the other.

Some say we have minerals worth over US$10 trillion.

Others put the figure way above what we have been told.

To put the speculation to rest, Government must invest heavily in exploration.

We are on the right track.

The launch of a 

US$ 12 billion roadmap for the mining sector is a step in the right direction.

The focus should naturally be on the production side.

And the figures that have been released by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) make interesting reading.

The apex bank says the mining sector has contributed 68 of the country’s total export earnings between January and June this year.

This can be increased drastically if we pour in more resources towards production.

When all is said and done, at the back of any nation’s mind should be the pervasive knowledge that these resources can sometimes be a curse to a people.

The war on Zimbabwe, first, by the colonialists and now, by the imperialists, has always been about the land and those abundant mineral resources.

The West will never let go of this country unless, and until, they help themselves to those resources.

The prevailing illegal economic sanctions on the country amplifies this compelling fact.

There is a mighty fight against this country because of its resources.

There is a serious attempt by the West to loot those resources. And they will never rest until they lay their hands on the same.

This compels us, as a country, to be constantly on our guard, lest those minerals are taken away from us.

In the meantime, let us make use of our minerals to develop our country.