President Museveni has hailed Atiak Sugar factory for contributing greatly to Acholi and Uganda’s development.
While touring Atiak Sugar factory in Amuru district on Saturday, Museveni said the facility is one of the benefits of industrialization.
“Urbanisation especially through industrialization is very important for the area and anybody who really opposes that is either blind or an enemy of the people,” he said.
“I really want to thank Amina for starting this project. I’m glad, what is happening is good, we can build on it. The strategic vision is that by producing sugar, we stop imports. Suppose we were importing sugar; how much money would be spent per year? If you are producing sugar and exporting it, there’s no way you can say you are making a mistake.”
President Museveni explained that Atiak Sugar Factory was a useful growth stimulus, saying that the project will benefit all the people in Acholi and neighbouring areas.
“These MPs know how much Gulu University stimulated growth in Gulu Town when we built it. The students need where to stay and what to buy from shops.”
“The land for this factory here is about 25,000 acres. The whole of Acholi is 27,000 square kilometres. Now what is 25,000 acres out of the 27,000 square kilometres? Now those people who are pushing that line of confusion are really enemies of Acholi but also enemies of Uganda and Africa,” he added.
President Museveni tasked leaders in the area, including Members of Parliament to support the investment so that it can achieve its goal.
The Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Francis Mwebesa thanked President Museveni for his commitment towards prioritising industrialization as a pathway of wealth creation, employment and community transformation.
“I call upon our partners and stakeholders, other government agencies and Civil societies to support Uganda Development Corporation and Horyal in the success of the factory,” he said.
The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Norbert Mao said the project is based on President Museveni’s pronouncement when he unilaterally signed the Juba Peace Agreement.
“In your speech you said you will industrialise Northern Uganda so that people can have jobs. We took that promise very seriously and based on that promise, we knew that as the guns were falling silent and peace was returning, it was important that Northern Uganda stopped being a burden on the economy of Uganda and also start contributing and to contribute you must use your greatest asset. Here we have land, that is how the family of John Omaya gave out land to Maama Amina to develop it.”
The proprietor of the factory, Dr. Amina thanked government under the stewardship of President Museveni for the support towards her company that has enabled them to register progress.
She also assured the President that her company is ready to work with farmers and get a market for their produce.
The event was also attended by the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Matia Kasaija, Minister of State for Economic Monitoring, Beatrice Akello and Members of Parliament, among others.
