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THE government has moved to capacitate local firms in developing modern technology in their factories to enhance production competitiveness as part of efforts to revive industries. The Deputy Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development, Dr Godfrey Gandawa, told Business Chronicle that his ministry has started rolling out a technology empowerment programme in liaison with institutions of higher learning.
“We’ve started offering training and technology capacity building to companies. We also assist firms in getting partners from other countries in the drive to re-engineer their operations,” said Dr Gandawa.
“We’ll also have programmes where we bring people from technologically advanced countries such as China and Iran who would bring their expertise and exchange knowledge with our own engineers to manufacture local machinery.”
The Deputy Minister said the government has put Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) as a centre of excellence to pioneer the programme before it cascades to other parts of the country.
“As a country there is no way we can be innovative without technology. We’re also working to push for policy interventions to promote technology.
“Our universities will be used as centres of excellence for the programme starting with HIT, which has started making medical drugs. These centres will be launch pads for the programme,” said Dr Gandawa.
He said the National University of Science and Technology will lead the programme in Bulawayo, the Midlands State University in Gweru and Lupane State University in Matabeleland North.
The resuscitation of industries has dominated debate on the economic front in recent years amid concerns over increased imports in the country.
Economists have blamed obsolete machinery, lack of capitalisation and low capacity utilisation as major factors behind the demise of industries, which have rendered thousands of people jobless.
Online Reporter
Bongani Ndlovu