A delegation of leaders from Otuke district local government has expressed admiration for the remarkable development at Okere City, where Okere Shea Cooperative Society Ltd operates.

The cooperative boasts over 15,000 shea nut tree seedlings, shea seeds for processing into various value-added products, a hand-dug well supporting irrigation and nursery bed activities, and an impressive 150 beehives within an apiary with capacity to accommodate more than 500 hives.

The visitation happened on August 11, 2026 at Okere City headquarters where the delegation attended a District Stakeholder Consultative Meeting on the ongoing and planned interventions in shea tree restoration, farmer-led natural regeneration, conservation, and shea butter value addition within Otuke district.

The initiative was described as an inspiring rural transformation project that is steadily demonstrating how vision, determination, innovation, and responsible use of natural resources can transform a once-rural setting into a centre of opportunity, learning, employment, and tourism.

Otuke district vice chairperson Gasper Okello appreciated the Okere City founder Ojok Okello for his remarkable vision and determination to transform a rural village into a place with city-level aspirations and opportunities.

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He challenged leaders to be courageous in addressing negative practices within communities instead of overlooking them for political convenience.

Gasper further commended Ojok Okello for championing mindset change and demonstrating that rural communities can create their own pathways to development.

He emphasised that shea is not merely a tree but a source of employment, tourism, learning, and economic transformation. He underscored the need for stakeholders to support initiatives that protect the shea ecosystem while creating sustainable livelihoods through value addition and commercialisation.

The district vice chairperson noted that Okere City has brought together several complementary components, including education with more than 500 learners, a health centre, shea production and processing, an apiary, a shea factory, goat rearing, a restaurant, a cooperative, and other activities.

The engagement also came at an exciting moment for the cooperative, following its selection as a beneficiary of the GROW Project Common User Facility (CUF), an initiative implemented by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD) with financial support from the World Bank.

The investment represents a significant milestone not only for the cooperative but also for the wider shea value chain and the economic transformation of Northern Uganda.

During the engagement, Founder and Managing Director of Okere City, Ojok Okello, cited a number of strategic development issues and agreed on areas requiring collective support.

These include securing and improving road access to Okere City, exploring the possibility of developing it into a tourist attraction and destination, positioning it as a model learning and demonstration centre, supporting the initiative through various government and stakeholder interventions, upscaling its existing enterprises and development activities, maximising the opportunities presented by the GROW Project–Common User Facility (CUF) investment.

He mentioned strengthening the shea value chain through processing, value addition, market access and cooperative development, and promoting and enforcing the President’s directives on the protection and conservation of shea nut trees against indiscriminate cutting.

The RDC of Otuke, Masiga Eric, commended Ojok for his passion for the people and his determination to create opportunities within the community.

RDC Masiga strongly condemned the destruction of nature, particularly the indiscriminate cutting of shea nut trees, noting that he has already taken action against some individuals involved in such activities.

He emphasised that everyone has a role to play in protecting and preserving the environment for present and future generations.

The RDC pledged to do everything within his mandate to support the growth and development of Okere City. He further observed that Otuke is blessed with shea oil as a gift from God and called for the exploration of alternative sources of charcoal so that shea trees and other valuable natural resources can be protected from destruction.

District Production Officer Dr. Thomas Anyuru stated that the visit demonstrated that Okere City is more than just a physical place—it is a vision in motion, bringing together education, health, agriculture, environmental conservation, value addition, tourism, employment, and community empowerment under one roof.

He noted that Okere Shea Cooperative Society Ltd, under the GROW Project Common User Facility supported by the World Bank and implemented by MGLSD, presents an important opportunity to further strengthen the cooperative, expand shea butter value addition, and contribute to the transformation of the shea value chain in Otuke and Northern Uganda.

Dr. Anyuru further emphasised that with the right partnerships, infrastructure, investment, and continued government support, Okere City has the potential to become a model centre for rural transformation, learning, tourism, environmental conservation, shea value addition, and sustainable development in Otuke and beyond.