First Lady urges youths to participate in waste management, hails Geo Pomona
shares strides that she has made towards the sustainable management of Zim's environment
Maputo- The First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa has urged young people to participate in waste management and recycling to complement efforts by local authorities to achieve zero waste tolerance,Express Mail Zim can report.
She shared these sentiments in Mozambique last week at the “We are Equal” campaign, a continental initiative by African First Ladies and First Lady Dr Isaura Nyusi’s “Zero Waste Movement”.
The launch brought together First Ladies from Zimbabwe, Kenya, Nigeria, Malawi and Botswana. Queen of Eswatini and Rwandan First Lady sent high-level representatives.
The First Lady who is already a signatory to the “Zero Waste Movement”, outlined strides that she has made towards the sustainable management of Zimbabwe’s environment and the need of youth participation.
“There is a need to get our young people involved in waste management and recycling as means of creating the much-needed employment as well as assisting local authorities in their endeavours. Your Excellences, ladies and gentlemen, the significance of zero waste tolerance is premised on advocacy for improved waste management systems that encourage responsible waste disposal and recycling,”
She shared with the conference the various initiatives she is undertaking to promote good waste management in Zimbabwe and enjoined guests to play their roles in fostering cleanliness.
She told the conference of Geo Pomona Waste Management for being the leading waste management firm in the country, striving towards the cleanliness of Harare and electricity production.
“Waste management is an area in which we have seen the private sector taking a key interest.
“A successful example is the recently commissioned Geo Pomona Waste to Energy project in Harare that is expected to enhance the cleanliness of the city while providing electricity to the national grid.”
Meanwhile, in regards local electricity production, the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) last December granted a license to produce electricity to Geo Pomona after it successfully met all the requirements.
ZERA Chief Executive Officer Eddington Mazambani said the licence number is GC0156/2023 issued in terms of Section 4(1)(e) of the Energy Regulatory Authority Act [Chapter 13:23) as read with Section 42 of the Electricity Act [Chapter 13:19).
“The Generation Licence is hereby granted to Geo Pomona Waste Management (Private) Limited (hereinafter referred to as the Licensee) in terms of Section 42 of the Electricity Act (Chapter 13:19) to construct, own, operate and maintain the 22 MW Geo Pomona Waste to Energy Power Plant at Pomona Dumpsite in Harare Province.
“Subject to the Electricity Act and the terms and conditions of this Licence, the Licensee may supply electricity to any transmission, distribution or supply Licensee who purchases electricity for resale and, with the approval of the Authority, to any one or more consumers,” he said.
Waste management refers to the various schemes to manage and dispose of wastes.
It can be by discarding, destroying, processing, recycling, reusing, or controlling wastes. The prime objective of waste management is to reduce the amount of unusable materials and to avert potential health and environmental hazards.
