Sunday 5 June 2022

ITS THE BEST PROJECT IN THE COUNTRY : PARLY ON POMONA DEAL

THE Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Public Accounts has described the Harare City Council (HCC) and Geo Pomona Waste Management Pvt Ltd project as the “best waste management project in the country”.

HCC entered into a joint venture with Geo Pomona last year to remodel the dumpsite, recycle waste and generate power.

However, councillors aligned to the CCC have been working to frustrate the project and voted to suspend the deal and examine the contract.

Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo insists the project will go ahead as planned.

In an interview after touring the dumpsite last week, Cde Dexter Nduna, who chairs the parliamentary committee, said the project would solve Harare’s age-old waste management challenges.

“As the committee, we toured all local authorities. We divided ourselves into two teams, the other focusing on the southern part of the country and I was in a team which toured the northern part, including Harare.

“The plans for the Pomona plant are the best compared to other local authorities. The model is clear and efficient, especially given that in addition to clearing waste, there is going to be power generation,” he said.

The project, he added, is going to create hundreds of jobs.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa, who also toured the project site on Monday, said it would transform Pomona from a ticking health time-bomb to a modern industrial park.

She was accompanied by her deputy Cde Kindness Paradza, Energy and Power Development Deputy Minister Magna Mudyiwa and Transport and Infrastructural Development Deputy Minister Mike Madiro.

“We want to say to Geo Pomona, we are impressed with what you are doing. You have been here hardly a month, but the work you are doing with the City of Harare is very impressive,” said Sen Mutsvangwa.

“As a Government, we are quite excited that issues of waste management will be things of the past. We want a Harare that is clean. The Second Republic is talking about putting back Harare and our cities into the sunshine statuses that they ought to be.”

Councillor Stewart Mutizwa said the plant would not result in any extra costs to ratepayers.

“As part of our equity, we are going to be supplying the company with all garbage from the city. The garbage is going to be paid as an entry fee. What is in the agreement is a yearly payment which we are going to pay as equity in terms of entry fees. We are partners in this business and are going to share the spoils at the end of the day. Ratepayers are not going to be charged more on their bills because of this deal, as has been falsely reported,” he said. Sunday Mail

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