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Auxilia Katongomara, Business Reporter
THE African Development Bank (AFDB) says it is committed to supporting Zimbabwe in exploring more finance avenues to foster economic revival.

The bank’s executive director for Southern African Group 11 Constituency, Mr Heirich Gaomab II, who is on a mission to tour power projects in Bulawayo and Gweru, said Zimbabwe deserves support to oil her economy.

“I can assure you as I have informed the Minister of Finance yesterday (Monday) that we strongly remain committed. We shall look at any other if any at all alternative avenues available that we can still be of relevance in terms of what Zimfund is doing as he has also pointed out some of the key issues.

“Please be assured, be encouraged, be committed that we are fully supportive in whatever avenues,” said Mr Gaomab.

He said the regional bank eagerly awaits to see Zimbabwe successfully implementing its economic reforms.

“I also want to extend our greetings from the president (AfDB president Dr Akinwumi Adesina) to the people of Zimbabwe. We take note of the micro and socio-economic challenges that you are facing and the president assured the people of Zimbabwe that we will stand with you as a developmental partner of choice especially on developmental financing. Despite all the trying challenges you are facing, we will stand by you 100 percent,” said Mr Gaomab.

Zimfund is spearheading water and sanitation rehabilitation as well as Emergency Power Infrastructure Rehabilitation projects in the country.

The AfDB is the administrator of Zimfund and monitors all projects undertaken by the organisation.

Mr Gaomab said he was impressed by the co-ordination between The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC), Zimfund and other stakeholders.

“I feel encouraged by the co-ordinative work that you are doing even with Zimra and Zimfund and the role that the bank plays here. I attest to the developmental impact that we are providing here in the context of the bank financing,” he said.

Under the power projects, Zimfund is financing the installation of a 175MVA transformer at Marvel Substation, which is able to supply the whole of Bulawayo and other surrounding provinces.

The substation supplies power to critical facilities such as Ncema Water Works, which serves the Bulawayo community with water supply, Turk Mine, How Mine, Fernhill Water works and Bulawayo City as a whole.

Zimfund manager Mr Emmanuel Nzabanita said the installation of the new transmitter was complete. He said Zimfund was also working on the rehabilitation of Chertsey substation in Gweru, which services the entire Midlands province.

“The direct impact arising from the lack of the transformer is that these vital services and institutions serving more than one million people are severely impacted by power outages resulting in poor service delivery,” said Mr Nzabanita.

He said they had managed to secure funding to the tune of $7,32 million for phase 2 and it would go towards implementing Sherwood substation in Kwekwe.

Zesa Western Region General Manager Engineer Lovemore Chinaka said through Zimfund, a number of rehabilitation works had been successfully completed among them the Criterion Water Works transformer and Mpopoma transformer, which are very critical in Bulawayo.

“These transformers are very critical in terms of the livelihoods of people around here. At Criterion the transformer actually feeds the Criterion water works and the Tuli reservoirs. These two facilities account for 70 percent of the water demands in Bulawayo,” Eng Chinaka said.

“When you go to Mpopoma you will find that Mpopoma substation is supplying one of the biggest referral hospitals in the country, Mpilo Central Hospital and it also feeds the industrial side of Kelvin and some residential areas”.

He said they were looking forward to the installation of the 11KV transformer at Forestvale, which would be taking care of Mpilo and another at Hillside substation to feed the Premier Medical Hospital and Mater Dei Hospital.

— @AuxiliaK