UIA’s restructuring takes shape

UIA has been mandated to establish 22 business parks where investors; both local and foreign could be allocated land to start up various businesses.

So far, 10 parks have been established including the Kampala and Industrial Business Park located in Namanve, a few kilomteres east of the City.  Others are located in Bweyogerere, Luzira, Jinja, Kasese, Soroti, Mbale, Karamoja, Mbarara and one in Kashari near Mbarara.

GideaonBadagawa, the executive Director at Private Sector Foundation Uganda, says UIA needs both staff and a business foundation to make Uganda’s case for investment.

“We also need human resource but they need the training to understand the business of attracting investors,” he said adding, “We need to retool the institution so that it is able to improve the business environment so that we have a basis and premise for what we are doing.”

He said there’s need for UIA to develop its e staff with the right skills such as aftercare services. Going forward, Amos Lugoloobi, the MP for Ntenjeru South who chairs the Parliamentary Budget Committee thinks UIA should not be in such a rush to hire more people almost at the end of the current financial year.

“They (UIA) can start (to hire new staff) on July 1 when the new budget gets on course. What is the rush for?” he asked. He added that the Ministry of Public Service should also approve changes and not just the finance ministry.

UIA is currently halfway its five strategic year plan 2016-2021 that aims at creating at least a million jobs.However, little appears to have been achieved during the first half of the Plan, with the agency’s executives remaining cagey to share achievements so far registered.

“We cannot tell you that right now but we will call you at a later date and give you all the statistics,” Kaguhangire said.