'Biti is a liar' says Mpofu

The Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Obert Mpofu has vowed not to remit money from Marange diamond proceeds to the Ministry of Finance which is headed by Tendai Biti from the MDC-T.

Speaking during the official opening of the Mining, Engineering and Transport (Mine Entra) in Bulawayo on Thursday evening,  Mpofu accused   minister Biti of  "reaping where he didn't sow." by pleading with Mpofu's ministry to remit diamonds proceeds into the national treasury.

"Biti is a liar. The mining industry is the largest contributor to the country's economy. Biti has never supported the mining sector yet he wants to reap where he did not sow," said Mpofu.

Mpofu claimed that the mining industry is contributing two thirds of the country's economy.

He also boasted that that he recently bought the Zimbabwe Allied Banking Group (ZABG) bank to support the country's mining industry.
 
Presenting his Mid-Term Fiscal policy in Parliament Biti last week minister Biti said he was forced to cut his 2012 budget from US$4 billion to US$3, 4 billion, blaming poor revenue inflows from diamonds from the Marange fields.

He said of the US$600 million which was expected from diamond sales this year, only US$41, 6 million had been received during the first half of the year.

Commenting on last week's industrial action by civil servants Biti said the civil servants should ask Mpofu where money from Marange diamonds sales is going, instead of continue blaming him.

Comments