Online Reporter
Wallace Ruzvidzo
Herald Reporter
MOST African countries face waste management problems hence initiatives such as the Geo Pomona Waste Management facility are an inspiration, Uganda People’s Defence Forces Deputy Chief of Defence Intelligence and Security, Brigadier General Abdul Gumayo, has said.
A delegation from the UPDF is currently in Zimbabwe and was yesterday led on a tour of the waste management facility by the executive chairman and chief executive officer Dr Dilesh Nguwaya.
In an interview after the tour, Brig-Gen Gumayo said he had been impressed by what he had seen.
“One of my outdoor activities was to visit the waste management system in Harare.
“I am happy to be here at Geo Pomona and I am impressed with the waste management system that is being put in place because this is the biggest problem we have in most of African cities,” he said.
“Health hazards are coming from unhygienic conditions and one of the biggest hygiene threatening environments in Africa and many third world countries is the waste which is not properly disposed of.”
Brig-Gen Gumayo said Uganda could learn from facilities such as Geo Pomona Waste Management.
“So for us it is a learning experience. It’s not our field. I’m a military officer but I can go and try to take this information to the relevant government departments. It is a good experience.
“It is always a question of benchmarking and adopting because this is the first of its kind in Harare.
“So there is no reason why it cannot be in Uganda next time,” said the Ugandan Brigadier General.
He said one of Africa’s biggest challenges was waste management, hence more countries should be made aware of what Geo Pomona is doing in this stead.
“They should try to come out and advertise what they are doing because the biggest problem we are having now is environmental protection and health hazards,” he said.
On his part, Dr Nguwaya said the firm was not relenting in ensuring effective waste management.
“It’s a major project, a number of visitors have been coming and are impressed,” he said.
“I am very happy that as Geo Pomona Waste Management, we are the champion of waste management and by so doing we are putting Zimbabwe on the map in terms of waste management,” he said.
This year in June, Geo Pomona Waste Management launched door-to-door waste collection in Harare, triggering joy among residents.
The Government enlisted the services of the private firm to rescue residents following the local authority’s declaration of incapacity.
The deal expands on their existing partnership on managing the Pomona dumpsite, where Geo Pomona is constructing a waste-to-energy recycling plant.
Dr Nguwaya said it was encouraging to see other countries coming to familiarise with the project.
“As you have seen, a lot of countries are coming here to learn, not only from the region, but the African continent.
“People are coming to see how we manage our waste in Zimbabwe. It is very important to us as Zimbabweans that we are demonstrating this way of managing waste in other countries, which is very good,” said the chief executive officer and executive chairman.
