Govt foots Pomona bill

Source: Govt foots Pomona bill –Newsday Zimbabwe

NICK MANGWANA

GOVERNMENT has gone solo to settle the Pomona Waste Management bill owed to Geogenix BV after the Harare City Council refused to pay saying the deal was questionable and extortionist.

Speaking during a ministerial tour of the Pomona dumpsite yesterday, which the Harare City Council boycotted, Local Government deputy minister Marian Chombo said government had paid a greater part of the amount owed to the Netherlands-based company.

Information and Publicity ministry secretary Ndavaningi Mangwana said government was paying because the country respected contractual obligations.

“Zimbabwe is open for business and we respect the contractual agreements, and that is why government is paying,” Mangwana said.

Mayor Jacob Mafume has described the deal as a contract made in hell.

“We were never part of the deal from the onset and we continue not to be part of it. Cabinet is the one that set and gave it a national status; so it’s a national project. As far as we are concerned, HCC has never had capacity and it will never have capacity to pay a single cent. We know the law and we will defend our position,” Mafume said.

Under the deal, government has been paying US$780 000 per month since May.

Enjoyed this post? Share it!