DELEGATES attending the third Africa Skills Week have commended Zimbabwe’s waste management efforts following a visit to Geo Pomona Waste Management in Harare, describing the project as a model that other African countries could adopt.
The visit was arranged by the Ministry of Skills Audit and Development as part of the official Africa Skills Week programme, which Zimbabwe is hosting in partnership with the African Union Commission.
Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Education, Culture, Tourism and Human Resources at the Pan-African Parliament and Eswatini Member of Parliament Mr Welcome Dlamini said the facility demonstrated how waste could be transformed into an economic asset through sustainable management.
“What we saw here today at this great waste management facility is something that is beyond our imagination. We are from different African countries where waste is actually a huge problem, and we have problems on how to deal with such waste.
“But what we saw here is that we can actually do a lot in terms of waste management, and we also saw how the refuse collection fleet is being managed and monitored to improve efficiency.”
Mr Dlamini said the facility’s communication systems, fleet monitoring, fuel management, and in-house workshop demonstrated practical measures that could improve operational efficiency. He added that he would welcome cooperation between Geo Pomona and Eswatini, including a possible memorandum of understanding to facilitate the exchange of expertise.
Uganda’s State Minister for Primary Education, Phyllis Chemutai, praised the initiative, expressing hope that her country could develop a similar facility.
“What we are seeing here is really marvellous,” she said.
“We have never seen one such thing like this in Uganda, and my prayer is that one day we also do the same.
“I want to thank the Government of Zimbabwe for coming up with this initiative of garbage management. I think this is the way that all African countries should go through.”
Minister of Education and Vocational Training for the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Abdelkader Talebaomar, said Zimbabwe had turned a waste management challenge into an opportunity to provide essential services.
“We congratulate Zimbabwe, the people of Zimbabwe and the Government of Zimbabwe on this great achievement we saw today,” he said.
“This was a problem in too many countries, but in Zimbabwe they changed it to a solution, to provide people with very necessary utilities like water and power.
“It is a big lesson for all the African continent and all countries to follow up what the Zimbabweans are doing.”
Special Advisor to the President on Waste Management and Environmental Sustainability, Dr Dilesh Nguwaya, who also serves as Geo Pomona’s executive chairman and chief executive, said the facility demonstrated Zimbabwe’s capacity to develop local solutions and share expertise with other African countries.
“People used to isolate this place, but now it is a scene of attraction because of the transformation done by Zimbabweans, by local engineers,” he said.
Dr Nguwaya said Geo Pomona wanted Zimbabweans to learn from their local engineers, and then to expand the same model to the whole of Africa.
He added: “I am happy that Zimbabwe is now leading in waste management.”
Geo Pomona has reported collecting a cumulative 598 800,52 tonnes of waste, comprising 426 635,67 tonnes from illegal dumps, 137 998,73 tonnes through door-to-door collection, and 34 166,12 tonnes from skip bins.-herald
