Harare and Accra seal waste management partnership

Source: Harare and Accra seal waste management partnership – herald

Fungi Kwaramba in ACCRA, Ghana

ZIMBABWE and Ghana last week signed a waste management deal aimed at improving refuse collection, recycling and environmental sustainability in the two countries.

During a State visit that concluded on Friday, Presidents Mnangagwa and John Dramani Mahama presided over the signing of 10 agreements, including a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Geo Pomona Waste Management, represented by its executive chairperson, Dr Dilesh Nguwaya, and Ghana’s Jospong Group of Companies, a leading waste management firm.

Following the signing ceremony, President Mnangagwa visited the Accra Compost and Recycling Plant, a project similar to Geo Pomona’s operations in Zimbabwe.

“We have a similar plant in Zimbabwe, and I have been impressed at the levels of modernisation,” President Mnangagwa said after the tour.

The partnership is expected to strengthen cooperation between the two countries, particularly in improving refuse collection systems and adopting sustainable waste management practices.

Speaking at the Accra Compost and Recycling Plant, Dr Nguwaya praised President Mnangagwa for supporting private sector investment.

“Our project was granted a national priority status and Government guaranteed it in support of investment,” he said.

The Government, he added, relocated some residents in Pomona, while many others have since been employed by Geo Pomona.

The company also runs refuse collection services. In recent years, it has collected more than 300 000 tonnes of solid waste from illegal dumpsites as part of efforts to restore order in Harare.

“In door-to-door waste management, we collected more than 70 000 tonnes using our compactor trucks.

“We also have the biggest sorting plant in Southern Africa, commissioned by President Mnangagwa,” Dr Nguwaya said.

In addition to employing over 1 200 workers, Geo Pomona has established modern facilities at the former dumpsite, including a restaurant and FIFA-certified sporting facilities.

The Jospong Group is one of Ghana’s largest and most diversified companies, with over 60 subsidiaries operating across Africa and Asia.

The group has built a strong reputation for practical solutions to waste management challenges in developing countries.

Officials said the deal could help Zimbabwe adopt modern systems and technologies that are already working successfully in Ghana and other markets.