GULU: Leaders decry encroachment on Presidential Industrial Hub land

Gulu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Leaders in Gulu district have decried the encroachment on parts of land hosting the Presidential Industrial hub for the Acholi sub-region.

The industrial hub located in Oding Parish, Unyama sub-county in Gulu district was constructed by the government under the Presidential initiative to skill youth into the money economy. The multi-billion facility sits on 65 hectares of land.

Gulu district chairperson, Christopher Opiyo Atekere, says that currently, only 20 hectares of land are being utilized for skilling the youth. He says although the landowners were previously compensated by the government, a section of them have begun encroaching on the land since it’s not fully fenced.

Atekere was on Tuesday speaking at the graduation of 212 youth from the Acholi sub-region, who completed a five months certificate course in hairdressing, carpentry and joinery, welding, and metal fabrication and tailoring.

The graduates are the first cohort of 22 youths each selected from the districts of Omoro, Nwoya, Amuru, Gulu, Agago, Pader, Lamwo, Kitgum, and Gulu city. Atekere says there is a need for the government to fully fence off the land and acquire a land title to keep away encroachers from easily accessing it.

He notes that whereas the hub has been instrumental in helping the youth attain skills, the facility had a number of challenges that ranged from leaking roofs, flooding of students’ dormitory, unstable power supply, and limited water supply.

Jimmy Lawrence Odong, the Industrial Hub Manager reiterates the need for the government to fence the institution’s land since community members are encroaching on the land while others are cutting down trees for charcoal.

He says initially, 220 youth were selected from the ten districts but dropped out due to chronic diseases.

According to Odong, the initiative has proved that skilling youth in vocational skills is vital but called on the government to increase the current enrolment of youth from 220 to 500 in the region.

Kilak South Member of Parliament in Amuru district says the government should emphasize skilling youth in vocational courses that introduce the beneficiaries to the money economy directly. He however advised the graduates not only to rely on their certificates but update their education levels after making money through their skills.

Jane Barekye, the State House comptroller who was the chief guest at the graduation ceremony lauded the students for the discipline they exhibited throughout their five-month stay at the skilling hub.

Barekye noted that the government intends to install a common user facility at the institution where students who graduated can utilize the place for their individual work without necessarily paying fees for hiring.

She however says the current selection of the beneficiaries from the districts in the region will remain at 220 citing resource constraints on the side of the government to host select 500 as demanded by leaders in the region.

Acholi Industrial hub is among the 20 zonal industrial hubs constructed across the country with the sole aim of skilling disadvantaged youth who dropped out of school into the money economy.

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