President averts potential water crisis in Gweru
lift pumps meant to enhance conveyance of water from the treatment plant to the distribution tanks in Gweru,” he said.
Minister Moyo said he was enthused to note that the entire process to procure and install the lowlift pumps was not only concluded in record time but has also seen water supply to the residents of Gweru rising from around 23 to 40 mega litres.
“While we celebrate this milestone achievement, it is vital to note that the water currently being pumped to the city of Gweru still falls short of the estimated demand that stands at 80 megalitres per day. It therefore follows that there is still need for huge investment into enhancing and modernising water pumping and distribution infrastructure in the city,” he said.
Minister Moyo said residents and industry must also pay rates to enable council to undertake some of its capital projects and improve service delivery.
“Residents should pay rates, council must know the assets they have at their disposal, the natural resources so that they know what they have to come up with a town Gross Domestic Product of the city to base on plans and budget. The people who use council infrastructure must pay for the services so that their own lives improve in their own hands. We don’t expect local authorities to depend on donors,” he said.
The Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Larry Mavima said when water levels reached alarming levels the Government came in to assist in setting up a team of experts to work on the possible quick solutions to the problem.
“We were facing a potential water disaster in Gweru and now we have this great project that has alleviated water challenges in city. More work needs to be done in purchasing four high lift pumps so that all the residents get the water they desperately need,” he said.
Gweru Mayor Councillor Josiah Makombe said: “The challenge we had is almost coming to an end as we are pumping water from Amapongobwe.
“The year 2018 saw minimum inflows into Gwenhoro Dam and so we moved to Amapongobwe. Due to depressed funds we could not purchase pumps for raw water. We thank the Ministry which accelerated the issue in Parliament so that our matter was given attention and funds were released.
“Today we are witnessing the commissioning of the raw water pumps at Amapongobwe. We appeal for more funding to purchase three more pumps. We want to be the city of choice by 2030 in line with national vision of being a middle-income economy by 2030.”
TERTIARY institutions should strive to continually come up with scientific research that can capacitate society to be active participants in national development, a Cabinet Minister has said.
In a speech read on his behalf by the director of innovation in his ministry, Dr Willie Ganda, at the 7th Africa Regional Conference of Vice Chancellors and Deans of Science, Education, Engineering and Technology (COVIDSET) here yesterday, the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Professor Amon Murwira said Zimbabwe, just like the whole continent, suffers from colonial education that doesn’t embrace innovation.
“To industrialise and modernise our continent, higher institutions of learning in Zimbabwe and Africa need transformation more than ever before. Tertiary institutions have to practically create ways for industrialisation and modernisation agenda.
“The future of Africa innovation, industrialisation and technology requires us to move away from just being consumers to active participants in the production and issues related to technology transfer, innovation, industrialisation and advanced technology so as to drive Africa into the 21st century,” said Prof Murwira.
Bindura University of Science Education is hosting the conference which started on Wednesday and ended yesterday to provide a fora for exchange of ideas, share experiences and good practices, sensitise policymakers and university leaders on current and emerging trends in science and technology for Africa’s global competitiveness.
It also sought to develop strategies and actions for enhancing university education and training for realising the African Union Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy 2024 (STISA-2024).
Prof Murwira said Africa’s future is based on her design aspirations through use of science, technology and engineering education.
“No matter how many STEM subjects we teach, with a wrong education system design, industrialisation will not happen. Our target is a decent life for all Zimbabweans through industrialising the economy subsequently creating employment. We have redesigned our education system to 5.0 to cause industrial innovation.
“We have progressed well in putting up physical infrastructure of the innovation hubs and industrial parks. Innovation hubs enable active knowledge transfer between researchers and business experts on one hand and industry and Government on the other hand,” said Prof Murwira.
“The Education 5.0 includes teaching research, community service, innovation and industrialisation. Innovation hubs are sources of technology that promote creativity, critical thinking and problem solving in the 21st century. This must be more focused on the societal needs and consequently institutions must shift from analysis to analysis and creation.”
Education 5.0 enables tertiary institutions to start innovation hubs and the Minister said three hubs at University of Zimbabwe (UZ), Midlands State University and the National University of Science and Technology were successfully opened and launched by President Mnangagwa recently.
Three others are under construction at Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT), Harare Institute of Technology and Zimbabwe National Defence University. Two industrial parks are being constructed at UZ and CUT and more shall be constructed countrywide and linked to State universities. The Minister bemoaned the disconnect between industries and universities which he said is a result of a design problem where there is a mismatch between design and desired output.
The conference was attended by representatives of all State universities and polytechnical colleges in the country as well as their counterparts from Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia. The theme was: “Promoting Innovation and the Industrialisation of Africa through Quality STEM education.” — @ncubeleon