Story by Josephine Mugiyo
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has stressed the need for the public sector to prioritise quality service delivery to meet the needs of the citizenry in line with the objectives of an upper-middle-income society by 2030.
He was speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony of the Geo Pomona Waste to Energy Project in Harare this Monday.
With proper waste management identified as a key component of ensuring smart cities, the new look Geo Pomona Project has transformed waste management in Harare.
This Monday, President Mnangagwa was at the site where he led the ground-breaking ceremony of the waste-to-energy project.
The Head of State said the Pomona project is reflective of the government’s commitment to improving livelihoods.
“This project serves as a testament to my government’s commitment to seeing communities transform to world-class standards, where residents enjoy the ambience of modern built environments. It also marks the beginning of a new era in the restoration of our Sunshine City, distinguished by clean environments and friendly communities. The journey to Vision 2030 and the realisation of the aspirations under our National Development Strategy is multi-pronged. To this end, my government welcomes the participation of the private sector stakeholders towards accelerating our country’s economic growth and the provision of world-class services,” said President Mnangagwa.
The new-look site has visible significant changes including proper waste management which has put an end to the stench that was synonymous with the area.
“This place used to reek of a nasty smell. Fires used to break out. We then looked at who could fix this and our own could do it,” added the President.
President Mnangagwa said the Pomona project does not only attest to the confidence investors have in Zimbabwe but reflects the good that can come out of partnerships.
He said, “The Geo Pomona Waste-to-Energy Project highlights the confidence investors have in the conducive business environment which has been fostered by the Second Republic. Further, it attests to the positive results that can be derived from mutually beneficial partnerships between the public and private sectors. It is commendable that under the Build-Own-Operate and Transfer joint venture model, the project will see the construction of a waste-to-energy plant which will produce 22 megawatts of electricity. Once on the national grid, this energy output will go a long way towards augmenting our national energy mix.”
Local authorities across the country have the responsibility to maintain clean environs for the public and President Mnangagwa stressed the importance of adopting a culture of efficiency.
“The transition to Vision 2030 and development of world-class cities require seamless unity of purpose and greater collaboration as we undertake citizen-focused and mutually beneficial programmes and projects. The old ways of doing business should now be a thing of the past. Let us restore the dignity and well-being of our communities. The culture of quality service delivery and putting the people first must be cardinal principles of our public sector. On its part, my administration remains committed to nurturing clean environments and minimising incidences of diseases, while enhancing the aesthetics of all our communities,” said President Mnangagwa.
The President impressed upon the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, the City of Harare and the investors to remain focused to ensure speedy completion of the project.
