During a tour of the facility by SADC leaders yesterday, Mnangagwa highlighted the most pressing challenges facing the country in terms of waste management, citing rapid urbanisation and population growth, which have led to unprecedented levels of household and industrial waste.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday praised the Geo Pomona Waste Management (Pvt) Ltd project, saying it represented a significant step forward in Zimbabwe’s efforts towards sustainable waste management and renewable energy generation.
During a tour of the facility by SADC leaders yesterday, Mnangagwa highlighted the most pressing challenges facing the country in terms of waste management, citing rapid urbanisation and population growth, which have led to unprecedented levels of household and industrial waste.
He said Zimbabwe continues to face the challenge of managing waste in a sustainable manner. The consequences of high resource consumption have severely affected the ability of local governments and municipal authorities to manage waste effectively. To make matters worse, access to modern waste disposal technologies and trained personnel is limited.
“This waste-to-energy initiative will not only address the environmental problems created by this landfill, but once completed, the plant will also generate electricity for the national grid,” Mnangagwa said.
He said the project was proof of the potential of strategic innovation in solving critical national problems, including electricity supply.
Mnangagwa praised Geo Pomona Waste Management for its people-centered approach, particularly youth and women employment, which is in line with the government’s goal of inclusive economic growth.
He highlighted the environmental benefits of the project and its contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in line with Zimbabwe’s national contribution to mitigating climate change.
“Our vision for Zimbabwe is to prioritize environmentally friendly waste management and disposal systems in all our communities,” he said.
Mnangagwa called on other countries in the region to initiate similar innovative projects, urging them to “never be afraid to think outside the box” and adapt best practices from around the world to their own circumstances.
“In order to drive the modernisation, industrialisation and development of the region, we are aware that ‘SADC must be built, governed and supported by us, its people’. The great responsibility lies with us,” said Mnangagwa.
Dilesh Nguwaya, chairman and managing director of Geo Pomona Waste Management, said the former Pomona landfill, which posed an environmental hazard, has been transformed into a model for environmental conservation.
“Geo Pomona’s rapid response to these threats has set a new standard for waste management in the region,” he said.
Nguwaya said the company’s comprehensive waste management strategy includes the construction of a sorting plant to separate recyclable from non-recyclable waste.
Recyclable waste is sold to recycling companies, while non-recyclable combustible materials are burned in a waste incineration plant, generating between 16 and 22 MW of electricity.
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