President Emmerson Mnangagwa says State-owned firm, Verify Engineering, has proved that there is no race with monopoly to advanced technological development when he launched an oxygen plant Thursday in Mutare.
Mnangagwa launched an Air Seperation Unit (ASU) that produces gaseous oxygen, liquid oxygen and nitrogen by Verify Engineering under the ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development.
The plant is expected to play an integral part in the production of medicinal oxygen essential to fight Covid-19 and liquid nitrogen used as coolant to store medicines and vaccines.
The launch of the plant ran synonymously with a 3 megawatt solar plant that was designed, engineered and installed by Verify Engineering at Feruka Oil Refinery.
“In told that the complement of this company is 80% male and 20% female. I asked (Verify Engineering chief executive officer Pedzi) Tapfumaneyi whether there is a white men helping them to achieve all this that you are doing here and he said there is none. You know some of us, the old folk, think that all the complicated things can only be done by white men. But this company has proved otherwise,” he said.
Mnangagwa said the production of medicinal oxygen will complement government efforts in the fight against Covid-19.
“Medical health oxygen is one of the world health organisation’s 30 essential medicines to fight Covid-19 and we now produce it here in Manicaland under Chief Zimunya,” he said.
The plant has an installed capacity to ensure daily production of 20 tonnes, 16.5 tonnes and 2.5 tonnes of gasious oxygen, liquid oxygen and nitrogen, respectively.
Mnangagwa said this is enough to ensure that the country becomes self sufficient and subsequently cut imports.
The Zanu PF leader said the plant further proves that his government is committed to foster a robust industrial revolution.
Mnangagwa revived the project after it was abandoned by his predecessor – the late Robert Mugabe.
“My government provided the necessary institutional and financial support to ensure that the idea which would impact various value chains comes to fruition as witnessed today.
“Today’s commissioning thus ads to the numerous successes made by the second republic in infrastructure development and industrialisation. Those who have eyes can see and those who have eyes not to see can continue to not to see when they see,” Mnangagwa said.
The plant was finally commissioned after Mnangagwa was forced to cancel for the second time, the ceremony that was slated last Saturday due to bad weather.
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