by Staff reporter
President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday officially opened the Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) Innovation Hub and toured Start-up projects, which he said will give impetus to the country`s modernisation agenda and aid the manufacturing sector.
President Mnangagwa took the opportunity to congratulate the institution for adhering to the spirit and letter of its mandate as well as leveraging on the Education 5.0 to develop ground breaking innovations and inventions. He promised to ensure that the institution gets the requisite infrastructure and funding support to propel it to a higher level.
The President applauded HIT for contributing to the country`s fight against COVID-19 through the production of prototype ventilators and other Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) adding that this trajectory and inventions by HIT coupled with ongoing efforts of their Bio-medical Engineering Degree will advance the country`s quest to manufacture home grown high-end healthcare equipment.
President Mnangagwa highlighted that the opening of HIT Innovation Hub attests to the new Administration`s unwavering determination to deliver on Vision 2030, through the twin pillars of modernisation and industrialisation.
“In 2018, you will recall that I made a call to institutions of higher learning and HIT in particular to champion Zimbabwe`s entry into the 4th Industrial evolution. I am glad that my tour of the projects at this university has confirmed that capacity, as HIT has demonstrated initiatives that are embracing the Internet of thongs, (IoT), Big Data, and Artificial Intelligence amongst others, to proffer technological solutions to various sectors of the economy,” he said.
The President said he was aware that the University has been developing a wide array of home grown ICT applications, systems and start-ups in response to specific technological needs of various Government Departments and Institutions. He appreciated the home-grown mass urban bus transport tap card payment system developed by HIT saying the system provides necessary transparency, accountability and efficiency in the country`s public transport sector.
He also appreciated the National Fuel Management and Smart Card Project, which were developed by HIT to enhance accountability within the fuel sector and its related value chain system.
“The usage of both the tap cards and the fuel management project must inspire the transport sector to unlock the country`s strategic position as a transport and logistics hub for the Southern African region,” he said.
President Mnangagwa further appreciated the Bureau de Change Payment System Project done by the University, which he said allows the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) to monitor foreign currency trading in real time, as well as development of vehicle number plates with the requisite national security features.
The President highlighted that Government was committed to facilitating the speedy establishment of the HIT Hi Tech Development Valley, cum-industrial Park towards increasing the number of high-end technology products manufactured in the country.
He took the opportunity to reassure the sector that Government will continue to ensure competitive remuneration for the academic personnel.
