Tuesday, 26 November 2024

GEO POMONA TO COLLECT HARARE RUBBISH


Government has given Geo Pomona Waste Management a contract to collect refuse in the capital in a deal that will see the financially-crippled Harare City Council (HCC) forking out approximately US$9 million annually.

HCC has for years failed to collect waste in the central business district and residential areas with President Emmerson Mnangagwa declaring the failure a national disaster following outbreaks of cholera and typhoid, waterborne diseases.

Geo Pomona executive chairperson Dilesh Nguwaya early this year said the firm would be collecting 650 tonnes of waste for US$40 per tonne daily.

The waste will be used for electricity generation for the national grid, according to Nguwaya.

He said the charges set out and agreed with Harare in the joint venture concession agreement were “fairly cheaper” than those obtaining in Europe.

“You will be aware that the standards at Pomona are in line with modern European trends in waste management. Below, we put the figures charged per tonne; Austria (US$166), Belgium (US$112), Denmark (US$114), Finland (US$116), France (US$95), Ireland (US$154), Italy (US$127) and the United Kingdom (US$135),” he said.

Speaking at a press conference attended by Harare mayor Jacob Mafume yesterday, Local Government and Public Works minister Daniel Garwe said he was confident that Geo Pomona will clean up the capital.

“President Emmerson Mnangagwa in October 2023 declared a state of disaster on solid waste management in Harare.  This was as a result of the financial challenges which the city is experiencing and these challenges have acutely affected service delivery, particularly in water, sanitation and solid waste management,” he said. Newsday

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