Nebbi district to host West Nile Investment Summit in March 19, 2022

NEBBI – Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) has identified Nebbi district to host the West Nile Investment Summit scheduled to take place on 19th March,2022 at Nyaravur -Angal Town Council.

The agenda for the West Nile Investment Summit is to discuss the domestic investors’ perspectives in regards to National Development Goals (NDGs) geared towards boosting the economy and sustainable wealth creations and employment opportunities to all Ugandans.

According to (UIA) Communication Officer, Mr. Davide Rupiny, the discussants on domestic investors’ perspective are drawn from all the 13th districts across the West Nile region who are the upcoming investors shaping the development of the country.

He adds that UIA randomly identified the following local investors in the region to discuss the domestic investors’ perspective, Mr. Bob Oyoma of Oyoma General Stores, Ms Hope Ann Anguyo, Mr Emmanuel Amaza – Zawadi Construction Works, Okaba Vincent -of Rock Global Oil limited, Okoro Coffee Union and Mr Taban Idro of KK Transporters all will be moderated by Mr Charles Odongtho.

“It’s a golden investment opportunity to the whole West Nile region and the neighbouring countries like DR-Congo and Southern Sudan who will benefit from the industrial park that the government has earmarked for construction that is yet to be launched,” Rupiny said.

He says other dignitaries to attend the summit are highly profiled government representatives who will include; the State Minister for Investment and Privatization Ms Evelyn Anite, the State Minister for Northern Uganda, Hon Grace Kwiocwiny, the Executive Director Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) and the third Deputy Prime Minister Rt. Hon. (Rtd) Gen. Moses Ali among others.

He adds that West Nile Investment Summit and the launch of the industrial park in Nebbi district will be at the site in Ovoru village, Nyaravur -Angal Town Council in Nebbi district where the community donated more than 500 acres of land for the construction of the industrial park last year.

Hon Urombi Emmanuel, the Chairman for Nebbi district says, the keynote address at the summit will be shared by the State Minister for Privatization and Investment, Hon Evelyn Anite and thereafter the official opening and launch of West Nile industrial and business park.

Urombi says the development is now with us and it’s the right time youths and any other energetic persons to get ready for the development to avoid blame games in future.

“The development has come at the right time. We need to take our children to school to avoid blame games that may arise from our youths that they are not being employed,” Urombi said.

Bernard Okumu, one of the youths says, though the government is doing its best to develop the country, the local investors who are job creators at the local level have failed to progress due to heavy taxations being levied on their locally produced products which needs to be addressed.

“The government needs to give tax holidays to our local investors who are the job creators at the local level. They are indigenous so they know the problem of their people,” Okumu said.

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Lira district offers UIA 300 acres of land to build an industrial park

LIRA – Lira District Local Government has offered 300 acres of land that was formerly Aler farm, in Ngetta sub-county, to Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) to build an industrial park.

The Lira district LC5 Chairperson, Richard Cox Okello Orik handed over the land to the State Minister for Investment, Everlyn Anite after convincing the farming community of the opportunities coming with the investment.

Since 2011, there has been an ongoing dispute between the district and the farming community over the ownership of a 1,500 acres piece of land.

About 332 residents challenged the district in court over the land located 10km along Lira-Kitgum road. The land covers 10 villages in Ngetta, Ogur and Alito in Kole district.

The villages according to the community include; Te-Arie, Oribcing, Opimo, Te-Dam, Okii, Aler, Perac, Atira, Acan-Akwo and Akwara.

The handover was witnessed by Lango Parliamentary Group, the City Mayor and the Business Community.

The Minister of Health, Dr Jane Aceng who is also Lira City woman MP were among dignitaries in attendance.

“The previous councils resolved to offer 300 acres to UIA and my role as the new Chairperson is to hand it over,” Okello says.

“We shall offer more 200 to make 500 depending on how they start utilizing the one we have donated,” Okello adds.

Anite is currently traversing the country to secure land to set up 25 industrial parks with a target of creating jobs, identifying accessible land for investment, and introducing new research technologies besides skills development to boost Uganda`s export and increased revenue base.

James Obong, a resident said, they realized the land belongs to the Lira District Local Government and they found no merit to continue with the court process.

“We are happy that the UIA is coming and it will be a good opportunity for us,” he said.

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Minister Anite pledged government’s support for the establishment of an industrial park which in turn will provide employment opportunities to people in the Lango sub-region and Uganda at large.

“We have not come to take away your land. Your land will remain here but we shall use it to improve your well-being,” she said.

Minister Dr Aceng pledged to construct a health center in the area as a reward to the community for allowing the investment.

Meanwhile, Dokolo district has added more 300 acres of land on the 200 they offered to UIA last month.

According to the district LC5, James Otto, they added more because they are looking at tangible investment and job creation.

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Nebbi community offers 500 acres of land to UIA for the construction of an Industrial park

Nebbi – More than 500 acres of lands located along Pakwach-Nebbi road has been offered to Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) by the community of Omvuro Village, in Mbaro East in Nyaravur-Angal Town Council, Nebbi district in support of the construction of an industrial park.

The communities are optimistic that in the future, the land given will be one of the legacies that the community members have shown commitment towards bringing development to the younger generation to fight poverty.

The land given by the community members is free from wetlands and geographically located along the business hub with both water and electricity which will spur development and provide employment to youths.

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According to Caesar Ocakere, a community member who offered the land, for many years, their children failed to complete education, but if such an opportunity comes in their hands, their children will benefit through local employment.

The woman Member of Parliament for Nebbi district, Agnes Acibu urged parents to spend much money on skilling the youths in order to tap any development that will come as a result of the industrial park in the district.

She added that, the President says, the youths’ futures must be secured through job creation and that’s why the industrial park is being constructed in Nebbi to create more jobs among the youths.

“Our youths are at a certain level of education but they are un-employed meaning that if such opportunity for an industrial park comes, they will definitely get jobs to sustain their livelihoods,” Acibu said.

The State Minister for Finance, Planning and Economics Development, Hon Everlyn Anite says, due to the influx of Congolese, there is big business potential if the industrial park is fully constructed.

She added that the responsible ministry will not bring poverty to the community but bring in development by employing youths in the factories as one of economic drivers to alleviate poverty.

The Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Nebbi, Abak Robert said, there will be no need to outsource employees outside the district if the youths are trained to manage the machines locally.

He adds that the industrial park will therefore boost commercialization of cassava production since there is going to be value addition because cassava has its ready market and is a raw material for brewing alcohol.

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ICYD project to partner with TASO in Soroti District

SOROTI – The Integrated Child and Youth Development (ICYD) project, will partner with The Aids Support Organization (TASO) in Soroti.

The partnership is meant to support Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) in 10 sub-counties of Soroti District Local Government (SDLG).

The partnership is to enhance the work of TASO in the region with HIV/AIDS infected children and their families to access better health care services.

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TASO Regional Office, Soroti welcomed the partnership as supplementary efforts in ending HIV/AIDS epidemic and added effort to support the Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) program in the region.

The transition took place during a meeting at the District Lukiiko Council Hall, where TASO handed over only the OVC related components of their activities to ICYD.

Gilbert Obore, the Technical Advisor Community Systems Strengthening TASO stated that, some of the target beneficiaries that the ICYD project will target include; Children living with HIV/AIDS; HIV Exposed Infants, Children of female sex workers and children of non-suppressed Viral Load care takers.

Obore emphasized that ICYD was coming in to boost efforts in regards to OVC programming as part of the U.S Presidents Emergency Plan- for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) guidance to transition OVC programming from Center for Disease Control (CDC) USAID; while TASO will remain offering comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment services through health systems strengthening approach in the region.

Meanwhile, Hussein Rehema, the Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator for – ICYD thanked the district leadership for ensuring that the community was happy with the services offered by TASO in accelerating epidemic control in Soroti region.

Hussein says, ICYD – OVC is a five-year PEPFAR/USIAD grant which delivers basic education to Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) and youths by strengthening young people’s ability to critically engage with their environment to address the health and safety needs and make it more likely to reach their potential.

Currently ICYD operates through local partnership to deliver comprehensive OVC programming in 29 districts of Uganda and in year two, ICYD programming will expand to 44 districts.

The activities have three main objectives including; Ensuring that children and youths have improved learning outcomes, children and youths are protected (safety), health in homes, communities and, the youth practice positive behaviors and make informed decisions about their life and relationships.

Abraham Ekwaru, the Soroti district Communications Officer commended TASO saying, they have been doing good work with OVCs and they are the best in HIV programming.

“God should reward TASO team abundantly, because your work is based on tangible evidence, and we don’t take that lightly as the government,” he said.

Ekwaru says, with the coming of ICYD, they are welcoming them with two hands and are ready to give any support that they may require to enable them carry out their work in Soroti despite the challenge of fitting into what TASO has done in Uganda.

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Bunyoro’s Shs 5 billion industrial hub to equip residents with skills

MASINDI – The construction of a Shs 5 billion industrial hub for Bunyoro sub-region has left Masindi residents and their leaders excited about the prospects of skilling youths in different fields.

The regional industrial hub under construction by the government of Uganda is located at Nyakarongo village, Kimengo sub-county, Masindi district.

The multi-billion project is being constructed to address poverty and unemployment among the youth in the region, says Masindi district LC5 Chairman, Cosmas Byaruhanga.

Bunyoro sub-region is comprised of eight districts including Hoima, Masindi, Kiryandongo, Buliisa, Kikuube, Kagadi, Kibaale and Kakumiro.

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Byaruhanga says that using this hub, the youths will be equipped with the required skills that will help them fight poverty and create employment opportunities.

According to the project design, the facility will be furnished with diverse vocational training equipment like welding and metal fabrication, shoe making, salon and hairdressing, carpentry and joinery, brick laying, tailoring and driving tools among others.

The facility will also host agricultural demonstration farms and value addition facilities for maize and coffee processing for export in addition to offering short courses on various skills to the youth in the region.

The politician says the industrial hub will not only create jobs to the youths but also spur development in the region.

The facility sits on 100 acres of land that Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) donated to Masindi district local government on the request of the district Chairperson.

The construction work which is at 80% and yet to get complete will be finished by the end of this year.

Bright Mugume, the LCIII Chairperson Kimengo sub-county says that they are happy with the government for having put such a project in his sub-county adding that children within the area are going to be able to get vocational skills.

“This sub-county has no government secondary school nor a technical school. Most of our children stop in primary seven and they have not been getting a chance of getting vocational skills but this has been addressed. That’s why I have to thank the government of Uganda for this rare opportunity,” said Mugume.

Jackson Nasasira, a resident of the same area said that the sub-county has no revenue generating activity adding that when the industrial hub starts operations, the economy of this area and the people will be boosted.

Stephen Mugisa, a youth from Kimengo sub-county says, they are optimistic that they will be able to get skills at a lower cost noting that it has been hard for them to get the skills from the technical institutions because they have no money to pay the tuition.

The facility is neighbouring an upcoming centre at Kiryana trading centre where more than 2000 people are running different businesses.

They say that when the industrial hub starts operations, they will be able to get market for their goods.

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