KNUST builds database for MMDAs - To accelerate govt’s ‘one-district, one-factory’ policy
The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has built a database that identifies the economic potential of all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the country to accelerate government’s drive towards its ‘One-district, One-factory’ policy.
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To start this, KNUST, in partnership with Knights Ghana Limited, the Sunyani Greenfield Cooperative Mango Producers and Marketing Society Limited and the Mentukwa Community, has built a fruit processing facility at Mentukwa in the Sunyani West District in the Brong Ahafo Region.
The Vice Chancellor of KNUST, Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso, who disclosed this at the 10th Session of the 51st Congregation of the university in Kumasi last Saturday said the facility was part of efforts to enhance the livelihoods of the people, reduce post-harvest losses and to provide ready market to farmers in the communities.
He said the factory would have the capacity to process 500 to 700 kilogrammes of raw fruit per hour which is approximately 350 to 450 litres of fruit juice per hour adding that engineers were on site installing the machines which would be commissioned before the end of year.
He recalled that in April this year, the Textiles and Fashion Section of the Department of Industrial Art of the university organised a very successful and first-ever Graduate Fashion Show in the history of the university.
That, he said, was aimed at showcasing up-and-coming talents and innovative works of students of the department as a means of awakening the nation to the importance of establishing a vibrant and competitive fashion industry.
He said KNUST had a well-developed infrastructure and that to continue the work started by its predecessors, the university campus was undergoing a major beautification drive to improve on the overall appeal of the campus environment.
For security on campus for staff and students, he said 70 solar street lights had been installed on major streets on campus, adding that 100 more would be installed before the end of the year.
The vice chancellor said to improve on security, 567 LED street lights had been installed to replace the high energy-consuming mercury street light bulbs.
He added that Close Circuit TV cameras had been installed in all halls of residence on campus and plans were far advanced to install Access Control gadgets at entry gates of the university, offices and halls of residence before the next academic year began in August.
Links with institutions, industries
Prof. Obiri-Danso said the university continued with its remarkable performance of establishing and strengthening collaborations with renowned institutions and industries.
That, to him, was one of the opportunities creating network for graduates of the university ripe to enter into industries, saying the university hosted a number of vice chancellors, pro-vice chancellors and heads of institutions from around the world who visited in a spirit of academic cooperation.
He said the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, the Canadian and Indian High Commissioners visited the university for bilateral discussions.