Zimbabwe scouts for investors for Lupane gas project

WITH elections a few weeks away, government says it is still frantically looking for investors for the Lupane methane gas project.

Natural gas reserves were discovered in Lupane, Matebeleland province, several years ago, but commercial exploitation. Government granted the exploration of gas a national project status in 2007.

Matebeleland North Provincial Affairs minister Richard Moyo, however, told Southern Eye that government had not abandoned the search for investors.

"The people who had been handed over the project were just playing games and not doing their job," Moyo said.

"The government has realised that and it is now searching for committed investors to take over so that the project comes to fruition.

"The government is working  tenaciously so that the project starts benefiting Lupane people through employment creation.

"The new dispensation is working and it is going to make sure such projects are revived and completed."

Methane gas is mostly used in power generation and fertiliser production.

The resource is an important source of energy. It is predominantly utilised in the United States, Canada, Australia and other countries.

It has, however, been a tale of unfulfilled promises with the government continuously pledging to ensure the natural resource is commercially exploited for the benefit of the country.