The Sunday Mail
Sunday Mail Reporter
THE Geo Pomona waste-to-energy plant being set up in Harare, will create up to 500 new jobs, with officials saying the project will transform the dumpsite into a modern recreational precinct within months.
Harare’s perennial challenges will become a thing of the past as garbage will be converted into energy, with a 22 MW power plant set to be established at the site.
In an interview on the sidelines of a tour of the plant facilitated by Zimbabwe National Editors Forum (Zinef), Geo Pomona Technical Manager Mr Albion Bostani said Harare residents will benefit from the project.
“In terms of employment, we are talking about up to 500 people. There is also going to be a modern and state of the art recreational centre that will comprise facilities such as tennis court, leisure centre for children. This means that this whole Pomona area will be transformed from being a dumpsite that was associated with filth, to a modern area that everyone would want to visit, with clean and fresh air.”
Mr Bostani said Geo Pomona will offer employment to people who had invaded the area to scavenge on the garbage.
“As you can see, there are many scavengers here. Some of them have actually built structures to live here. We are also going to offer employment to these people as part of bringing order.”
Geo Pomona compliance manager, Engineer Wadzanai Chigwa said since the company started operations just over a month ago, they have recorded commendable progress.
“We started working on waste that we found here. We are now directing that waste to strategic points, rather than dumping it randomly because we want to flatten the place. Once the area is flattened, we will then begin other works, such as setting up the actual plant and the recreational centre. So far we have paved the roads and created fireguards because Pomona was known for uncontrollable fire outbreaks but this will now be a thing of the past.”
