Last Updated on: 13th April 2023, 10:38 pm
Adjumani, April 13, 2023: President Yoweri Museveni has officially commissioned a magnificent shs5 billion industrial hub for the Madi sub-region. The hub is constructed in Olia village in the Pakele sub-county, Adjumani district.
The industrial hub is for the three districts of Moyo, Adjumani and Obongi. While commissioning the facility, the President said the industrial hub is vital in addressing basic human needs like shelter, clothes, and food. The hub will train people who build houses, make closes, and food processing which he notes will help transform their lives.
“But I want this place to also engage in processing local food but not only bread because some people want to eat locally processed food,” President said, adding that the industrial hub is yet a trial version and the progress in the industrial hub will motivate him to do more.
On the issues of roads, “I am happy I have fulfilled my debt and promise of the tarmac road, I have been promising for you for a long, even the road from Laropi to Moyo and Moyo to Yumbe, including the bridge on river Nile at Laropi, I don’t know the work has delayed,” the President wondered.
The President told the people he is working hard to ensure there is adequate electricity for the region.
“For the electricity there is a clear plan, we have a dam at Karuma whose construction has been completed. Very soon it will be switched on. They are already working on a very strong line from Karuma to Olwiyo to Nebbi, Pakwach Arua, and to Moyo which is 400kvs which is very strong more than ever, another line will be from Olwiyo to Nimule because we also want to supply South Sudan.”
Ms Jane Bareke, the State House Comptroller said the industrial hub has enrolled 260 students from the three districts of Moyo, Adjumani and Obongi with all the districts getting an equal number of 79 students.
She said the hub offers tailoring, hairdressing, bakery, welding, carpentry and joinery, and building and construction.
“The shs5 billion industrial hub constructed in Pakele sub-county, Adjumani district, is expected to boost development in West Nile sub-region which is befitting them of your tour of wealth creation,” Bareke said.
The Resident District Commissioner of Moyo Mr Gore Goffin who doubles as the chairperson Board of Governor for Olia Industrial Park, said that although the hub is functional, the hub has challenges with electricity because the sub-region still gets irregular power which is on and off.
He appealed to the President to address the electricity challenges in the region so that the hub will run smoothly and enhance learning for the students.
This facility would have been in other parts of the country, but we thank the President for considering the people of the Madi sub-region with the magnificent facility that has enrolled sons and daughters of the region and also employed many local tutors.
Mr. Kennedy Dralaga, the local council one (LC1) chairman of Olia village in Pakele sub-county commended President Museveni for establishing the industrial park in his village, saying it has enrolled many school dropouts in the village.
“Because of the love for this industrial park, the land where the industrial park has been constructed was freely offered by the community, we used to spend a lot of money going a long distance to access such education facilities and pay a lot,” Dralaga said.
Ms. Alice Ashara Amadra, the chairperson of the Women’s Council of Zoka Parish in Itirikwa sub-county commended the President for establishing a magnificent facility, saying it employing many women in the area.
Ashara laments that even when the facility is in place; their community in the Itirikwa sub-county is not at peace because their houses are being burnt due to the Apaa land conflict.
“The forest of Zoka Central Forest Reserve is being depleted, the East Madi Wildlife Reserve is being encroached and yet we that this is our heritage,” Ashara laments.
She said the government must come out clearly and resolve the Apaa land issues once and for all so that they can co-exist with the other communities of Acholi from the Amuru district.
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Mr. Rajab Ushain Olukaya is the LC1 chairperson of Obogubu from Obongi district whose child is studying in the industrial park. He is happy. “The industrial park is an asset that improves the livelihoods of the youth and transforms their social economic status especially girls who dropped out of school,” he said.
Olokaya observed with great concern the high level of corruption in the districts which has affected service delivery to the local community.
“In schools, we are forced to pay building funds, yet the government has constructed all the facilities like classrooms and latrines, the teachers in schools are commercializing the education sector,” Olukaya said.
Amanzuru Godfrey, the LC1 chairman of Angwarapi village in Dzaipi sub-county in Adjumani district, says the facility at Pakele sub-county has tried to enroll the young people of West Nile but adds that electricity is insufficient to run the facility and for the region.
He appealed to the President to consider constructing the Laropi Bridge which, according to him will open a wide market to South Sudan through Kajokeji when the children graduate and start their own businesses.
Ms. Lucy Chandia is the local council chairperson three (LC3) of Ibibiaworo in Dzaipi sub-county who thanked the President for introducing the parish development model (PDM) but she noted that her community needs clean and safe drinking water.
She also appealed to the President to pronounce himself on the Apaa land conflict which has claimed the lives of so many people living around the area.
“The Apaa land conflict is giving us sleepless nights, we hear that the area is a protected area for conservation, but to our dismay, there is rampant land grabbing, and destruction of the forest,” Chandia said.