BY MTHANDAZO NYONI
THE Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) has warned the public not to be duped by bogus employment agents who claim to be recruiting workers from Hwange and Jambezi villages for the Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric Scheme (BGHES) project for a fee.
BGHES is a bilateral venture between Zimbabwe and Zambia which is being spearheaded by ZRA.
In a statement, ZRA chief executive Munyaradzi Munodawafa said during the Environmental Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) disclosure process for the BGHES, he learnt with dismay the illegal registration of workers for the multi-billion project.
The said registration was reportedly taking place in some communities within the project area in Zimbabwe, he said.
“People purporting to be recruitment agents appointed by the authority or the developer are illegally registering and collecting monies from unsuspecting members of the public especially those that are resident in Hwange, Jambezi and other villages and townships,” Munodawafa said.
“Consequently, inhabitants of the said riparian communities are advised to be vigilant and guard against these malicious persons whose intention is to swindle them of their hard-earned income.
“Such individuals should be reported to the nearest law enforcement agents.”
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Munodawafa said ZRA had not and would not appoint any agent for purposes of recruiting workers on its behalf or on behalf of the developer.
All employment opportunities, that is, professional, skilled and unskilled will be publicised through the mass media and traditional leadership in the project area when the project construction works are about to start.
The bilateral project, with an estimated cost of US$4 billion, is located within the Batoka Gorge, 47km downstream of the Victoria Falls.
According to the project ESIA report, construction is expected to last around nine years and will be undertaken in two stages.
The first stage will involve building of access roads and permanent camps.
This is expected to take no more than two years.
The second phase, which entails construction of the dam and power plants, is expected to take six to seven years.
