Dr Muswere and Dr Nguwaya during the signing ceremony
By Dickson Bandera
Geo Pomona Waste Management (Pvt) Ltd has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Skills Audit and Development to establish a Centre of Excellence in Waste Management at its facility in Harare, in a partnership aimed at strengthening technical skills, vocational training and innovation in the waste management sector.
The agreement brings together a private-sector waste management operator and a government ministry responsible for skills development, creating an opportunity to connect industrial operations with practical training and workforce development.
The MoU was signed at the Geo Pomona site in Harare by the Minister of Skills Audit and Development, Honourable Dr Jenfan Muswere, and Geo Pomona Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman, Dr Dilesh Nguwaya.
Under the proposed arrangement, the centre will focus on vocational training, skills development, research, innovation and practical industry experience.
“Our commitment extends beyond waste management. We want to work closely with the Ministry of Skills Audit and Development to establish a Centre of Excellence that will equip our people with practical skills, technical expertise and opportunities for innovation,” said Dr Nguwaya.
Background of Geo Pomona Waste Management
Geo Pomona Waste Management (Pvt) Ltd is a Zimbabwean waste management company associated with the development and operation of the Pomona waste management facility in Harare.
The company assumed responsibility for managing the Pomona dumpsite in April 2022 under an arrangement with the City of Harare. Its operations and development plans have focused on improving waste management infrastructure and pursuing an integrated approach to waste processing and disposal.
The Pomona project has also been associated with plans to convert waste into electricity, reflecting the growing interest in waste-to-energy technologies as a means of addressing waste disposal challenges while recovering value from discarded materials.
Such an approach requires technical expertise in waste processing, environmental management, machinery operation, recycling and energy generation. The proposed Centre of Excellence could provide a platform for developing these competencies through practical training and industry-based learning.
By hosting the proposed centre at its Harare facility, Geo Pomona could help bridge the gap between theoretical instruction and the practical demands of operating waste management infrastructure.
The partnership also presents an opportunity to explore skills development in areas such as recycling, waste sorting, landfill management, equipment maintenance and environmental protection, although the specific courses and qualifications to be offered have yet to be announced.
Background of the Ministry of Skills Audit and Development
The Ministry of Skills Audit and Development is a government institution established in September 2023 to strengthen skills identification, assessment and development in line with Zimbabwe’s economic and national development priorities.
Its mandate centres on identifying skills gaps, assessing the country’s human capital requirements and promoting the development of competencies needed across different sectors of the economy.
The ministry’s work is linked to efforts to improve the relationship between education, vocational training and the labour market, ensuring that skills development responds to the practical requirements of industry and emerging economic opportunities.
Through collaboration with businesses, training institutions and other stakeholders, the ministry seeks to promote a workforce equipped with relevant technical, professional and entrepreneurial capabilities.
The partnership with Geo Pomona provides an opportunity to apply this mandate within the waste management sector, where technological advancement and changing environmental demands are creating a need for specialised skills.
A Centre of Excellence could support the ministry’s objectives by providing a practical environment in which industry-related competencies are developed, tested and applied. It could also create opportunities for collaboration in research, innovation and the development of training programmes informed by real operational needs.
Linking Industry and Skills Development
The proposed Centre of Excellence represents a collaboration between government and the private sector to connect skills development with the practical requirements of waste management.
As Zimbabwe continues to confront urban waste disposal and environmental sustainability challenges, investment in technical capacity could help strengthen the sector’s ability to adopt modern waste processing methods and explore opportunities for recycling and resource recovery.
