Central Bank issues ultimatum over land

Bank of Uganda accuses Jinja District authorities of delaying to surrender land to construct a training centre.

Bank of Uganda (BoU) has issued an ultimatum to the Jinja District leadership to either hand over land housing the district headquarters and a host of other government offices or the institution takes a multimillion project elsewhere.
The directive was issued on Tuesday by BoU’s executive director in-charge of administration, Mr Elliot Mwebya, during a meeting with district leaders.

BoU plans to construct a commercial training centre that would serve the entire eastern region.

Mr Mwebya had made a presentation to the council last week, saying the bank had chosen Jinja for strategic reasons.
“The reason Bank of Uganda chose to construct her second modern currency centre in Jinja is for security purposes because all backup systems of bank operations and transactions in foreign currency would be done at this facility,” he said.

He said the first currency centre was opened in the district in 1927 and that it would therefore be wise to set up the new facility alongside the old one.

Former Kagoma County MP Frank Nabwiso, who also attended the meeting, urged the district leadership to swiftly respond to the proposal, which is said to have been lying on the desk of the district chairperson for more than three years.

“An opportunity like this cannot just left to go when it is going to help the region to develop structurally, as well as provide employment to the people,” Dr Nabwiso said.

The district speaker, Mr Richard Mayengo, said the proposal would be discussed during the council’s next meeting and an appropriate decision taken.

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