WestProp sinks US$1 mln towards Wetland Walk; awaits corrupt allocations reversal
Business Reporter
RISING property firm, WestProp Holdings Limited says US$1 million has been set aside towards the Wetland Walk project amid calls for relevant to urgently rectify illegal transfers of the land overseen by corrupt officials.
The project is set to be constructed in between WestProp’s lifestyle developments of Pokugara and Millennium Heights where a ‘near dead wetland’ exists in Borrowdale West which is set to be restored and beautified into a nature park thus allowing it to naturally regenerate and in turn bring people and nature together.
Unveiling the firm’s determination to get the project in motion Thursday, WestProp CEO, Ken Sharpe said despite delays triggered by corrupt dealings at the Harare City Council (HCC) and the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) plans to operationalise the project remain a priority.
“We remain committed to fulfill our dream to rejuvenate the wetland hence we have invited you so that you can give your input to the project. We also advocate for the press to start understanding issues of sustainable development and how nature can co-exist with built up spaces.
“We have set aside US$1 million for the project and the designs are now available for public input and everyone is welcome to contribute to make this a reality,” he said.
Sharpe said they were granted a license to develop the Wetland Walk way back in 2015 but had not yet commenced work on the site until last year when the submitted the proposed designs to the relevant authorities.
“While waiting for the approval, we then discovered through the Press that they were certain individuals within the Harare City Council who did some illegal things. For instance they sold that piece of land illegally to a Chinese buyer. We only learnt that such officials have since been arrested and are now in jail over that,” he said.
The property tycoon said there was also another scandalous dealing which saw authorities at EMA extending an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Certificate being granted to build houses on the wetland.
“We know that there are certain things that were done wrong and we are now waiting for the HCC to reverse the illegalities .We also await to see how they are going to make the land available for this Park, Sharpe added.
