Shs5b industrial park to spur growth in West Nile

A Shs5 billion industrial park, whose construction in Pakele Sub-county, Adjumani District, is nearing completion, will boost development in West Nile Sub-region, government has said.

On Monday, a team of officials from State House and the district led by the Resident District Commissioner, Mr Peter Taban Data, visited the project site to assess the construction progress, which is said to be currently at 90 per cent.

Mr Willison Rumanzi, the project engineer, said the facility would have been complete by now had they not been delayed by bad weather and the outbreak of Covid-19.

“Since the contract was awarded to us last year, we have faced setbacks caused by bad weather and partly the lockdown, which affected our efficiency,” he said.

Contractor’s pledge

Mr Rumanzi further noted that they will be able to finish and hand over the facility to the district in less than two months.

“Unless any other interference sets in, we will be able to hand over the project to the district because the remaining works are landscaping, tarmacking the pass ways and other final touches,” he said.

Mr Data said the district is impressed by the progress of the project, adding that it will reduce the challenge of youth unemployment.

“The facility will benefit thousands of unemployed youth in the three districts of Madi Sub-region, directly or indirectly. Once several factories are built here, they can either work at the park as employees or supply raw materials which will be required to run them,” he said.

In 2019, Palaro clan chief Zachary Baker offered 1,120 acres of land to the Adjumani District leadership for the development of the industrial park.

However, during their later confirmation visit, Ms Lucy Nakyobe, the then State House comptroller, and Mr Anthony Namara, the commissioner of Local Economic Connection, rejected the land, saying it neither had roads nor electricity and water networks.

The district then transferred the project to the farm institute at Ulia.

Ms Korina Ondoa, the district secretary for production and natural resources, said the establishment of the facility is a great opportunity for the district to tap into its unexploited agricultural potential.

Appeal to locals

“It is my appeal, especially to our farming communities and youth, to take advantage of this multi-billion project once it becomes operational because its establishment will go a long way in supporting the youths in the region including refugees in the area,” Ms Ondoa added.

Some of the industrial parks in the sub-region are Oraba Industrial Park, which lies at the Ugandan border with South Sudan and DR Congo, and Zombo regional industrial hub established by the State House at the district firm institute in Zombo District.