The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Francis Kudyanga, told the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee for Education that the project would be commissioned soon if Treasury released funds in time. When operational the plant is expected to produce an average of 48 tonnes of oxygen per day. Sixteen tonnes of the oxygen will be in liquid form and would find a ready market in the mining sector while the gaseous oxygen would be for the open market.
The oxygen will be extracted from coal which is readily available in Zimbabwe. Some 50,000 tonnes of coal are already stock-piled at Mkwasine Mine in the Lowveld while thousands more will be mobilised from across the country.
Of the $12,7 million for the 2013 budget government only approved 21 percent. The approved money continues to be released in batches.
The ministry took the opportunity to appraise the committee on progress made regarding establishment of the long awaited Bio-diesel project in Mtoko.
MPs were sceptical about the project but officials insisted it would “go a long way towards making Zimbabwe less dependent on imports” and blamed treasury for delays in implementation.
Post published in: News