Lack of zeal hampers ethanol project’s revival

is being undermined by lack of the necessary zeal by authorities, Arda chairman Mr Basil Nyabadza has said. The ethanol project, which is a partnership between Government through Arda and investment partners Green Fuels, has seen its plant in Chisumbanje shut for the past nine months.
An inter-ministerial team led by Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara charged with returning the project to viability in September came up with a number of resolutions that included mandatory ethanol blending of five percent.
The team also recommended the resolution of issues such as resettlement and compensation for villagers in the area.
However, with a few days before the expiry of a two-month deadline for the implementation of the roadmap, nothing has moved.
“It is certainly two months and we are still waiting for a Statutory Instrument to effect the mandatory blending of petrol with ethanol,” Mr Nyabadza said.
“Communication is being maintained with the offices of the Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara and Minister of Energy and Power Development Elton Mangoma.
“However, we feel the necessary zeal to commence operations at Chisumbanje is not shared by all,” he said.
Bureaucracy had taken root and it was most unfortunate, he added.
Mr Nyabadza said some of the recommendations would be operationalised once the plant resumed operations.
Mr Nyabadza applauded President Mugabe’s interest in the resumption of activity at Chisumbanje.
He, however, lamented the lack of enthusiasm in officials charged with reviving the venture.
“I am pleased President Mugabe during the recent opening of Parliament highlighted the importance of energy production but some players are not pursuing that objective.
“To get this far it was heavy lobbying and we had lost eight months since February because of people not driving the programme with the necessary enthusiasm and commitment.”
He said Arda was losing potential revenue which could help the troubled authority.
“Arda is a victim of the delays because we have lost revenue since February,” said Mr Nyabadza.
“Revenue from Chisumbanje has been helping us rehabilitate our estates across the country. This investment was a lifeline to Arda and Arda was in a position to retire some of the long term debts on our books.”
He said the ethanol project must resume with the existing infrastructure, which would also allow employment and the company’s ability to meet its obligations to the community in terms of resettlement, compensation and expansion of irrigation.
“We are in a position to produce and perfect as we move on,” he said.
“The idea to have ducks in a row on day one when the country is under sanctions is not possible.”
He appealed to President Mugabe to maintain an interest in the matter and eliminate bottlenecks and complacency. The Chisumbanje ethanol plant was closed in February due to the low uptake of ethanol. Its woes have also been blamed on political bickering among stakeholders.