Source: Construction of Nust library resumes after 20-year halt | The Sunday News
Rutendo Nyeve, Sunday News Reporter
CONSTRUCTION of the National University of Science and Technology (Nust) Central Library which ground to a halt at 30 percent about two decades ago will commence next year after a Structural Integrity Assessment of the building certified it fit for construction works to continue.
The library is set to be the best modern library at higher learning institutions with its completion expected within 36 months.
This was said by the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Professor Amon Murwira in an interview with Sunday News on Thursday.
Prof Murwira said riding on President Mnangagwa’s philosophy, “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo/ Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabanikazi balo” and with financial support from the Government and guidance from the ministry, Nust adopted a new model which has seen it taking over all construction projects that were left unfinished a number of years ago with the library being one of them under the same model.
“Nust is one of our key science and technology institutions. It has one of the best architectural designs but most of its buildings were left unfinished for years. When President Mnangagwa came in, he allowed us as a ministry to take over construction works and we began identifying our strategic buildings and finishing them.
“In a space of two years, the university has almost finished constructing the state-of-the-art Prof Phinias-Mogorosi Makhurane Technovation Centre, which took independent contractors 15 years to reach 60 percent completion before they abandoned the project.
“Working together with Bulawayo Polytechnic and other sister institutions, Nust has reached 76 percent completion of the Tech Centre building, which will be finished in time for commissioning by President Mnangagwa during the university’s graduation on 15 November 2024. Already, Block B of the building is at 95 percent completion,” said Prof Murwira.
He said the new model of construction adopted saw Nust realising savings of over US$200 000 through the substitution of excessively designed finishes with simple top-class designs and will be commencing construction of the central library next year.
“Construction of the central library stopped when the building was at 30 percent completion. A Structural Integrity Assessment of the building was conducted by independent assessors in 2023 and it was certified fit for continuing with construction works. Construction is expected to start in 2025 and the building will be completed within 36 months.
“We want it to be a modern centre. The world has transitioned to the digital and we also want it to lean towards that. We want it to be a digital library and with the big space that it has we should be able to equip it with quite a lot. We want it to show the best of our ability and capability. The reason why it stalled for some time was because we were waiting for other people to do it for us but we are now using our own capabilities to do our best,” said Prof Murwira.
Meanwhile, the university continues to make significant progress on infrastructural development projects which had stalled for over 20 years with more of its infrastructural works at various levels of completion.
“The Applied Chemistry building is at 70 percent completion, the Chemical Engineering building is at 75 percent, and the students’ accommodation at 10 percent. At the students’ accommodation, 10 blocks had their foundation completed while brickwork is at 10 percent. Once construction resumes, these buildings will be completed between nine and 18 months,” said Prof Murwira.
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