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Freedom Mupanedemo Midlands Bureau
The Midlands State University Industrial Park which was recently commissioned by President Mnangagwa is beginning to reap the profits with its chemical manufacturing and textiles departments already overwhelmed by market demand.
President Mnangagwa introduced research based innovation hubs at all the country’s universities when he assumed office under the Second Republic some two years ago.
The innovation hubs were supposed to then feed into Industrial Parks also established at University level as the new Government administration moved to turn the scope at universities from the traditional academic slant to become enablers of the industrial and economic recovery institutions in line with Government’s Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP).
Today, members of the media from across the board attending the Government organised National Development Strategy1 (NDS1) in Gweru toured the MSU Industrial Park which has three departments already running.
Addressing members of the fourth estate after touring the park, MSU Director, Enterprises, Mr Alex Mukwembi said the industrial park had two departments, the textiles and chemicals department which were already operating at full swing with over 100 people employed at the two departments.
“We have two departments, the textile and chemicals manufacturing departments which together employ about 100 workers.
Under the textile department we are doing work suits and other protective clothing for the industry. We also have the chemicals department which is into massive production of hand sanitisers and disinfectants and with the Covid 19 pandemic the demand is very high” he said.
Mr Mukwembi said the two departments were already overwhelmed by the market with the sanitisers and other disinfectants now being distributed through Natpharm. He said lecturers at the institution, working with some experts, were at advanced stage conducting chemical tests for the production of bitumen tar at local level.
“Recently we promised the President that soon we will be producing tar locally.
“We are using local raw materials like the asbestos fibre dump which has been lying irdle at Shabanie mine,” he said.
Mr Mukwembi said the university was also working on establishing a pharmaceutical company at the industrial park which will be specialising in traditional herbs.
“The pharmaceutical company is expected to be operational by next year and we promised the President when he commissioned this park recently that during our next graduation, the pharmaceutical company will be operational.
We also intend to open a food canning company and agro based chemicals company by 2021,” he said.
During the commissioning of the Industrial Park about three weeks ago, President Mnangagwa said universities , the world over were key to the country’s industrialisation drive.
He said the the bitumen tar would save the country millions of dollars which have been used to import the tar.
“I am still be be convinced but if the project becomes successful, will save the country millions of dollars in forex which we have been using to import tar,” said the President then.
Online Reporter