The Government of Uganda is investing 100 million dollars in improving infrastructure in Mbale Industrial Park in eastern Uganda.
The Deputy Speaker of Uganda’s parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, said President Yoweri Museveni has directed that infrastructure in the fast-developing industrial park with 50 operational industries be improved. He said infrastructure development in the park needs immediate government push.
Tayebwa said the government, through the Uganda Investment Authority, will set up a One-Stop Centre to serve investors in eastern Uganda, adding that it aligns with UIA’s goal of promoting Uganda as a competitive investment destination in Africa.
He said: “If an investor comes here, you don’t need to go to Kampala for services like business registration, investment licensing, tax registration, land verification, social security registration, applying for water or electricity supply, and so forth. All these should be done here”.
The deputy speaker made the revelation after breaking the ground for the construction of an extended plant for Unisteel Investment Uganda Limited. The new plant is an extension of the steel factory valued at 100 million dollars.
The Unisteel plant is set to be commissioned by President Museveni on Friday, October 18, 2024.
The proprietor of Unisteel, Xu Shicun, said the factory employs 500 people, most of them Ugandans.
“We target to sell our products to both the Ugandan and regional markets”, he said, adding that they intend to produce high-quality products.
Shicun said they have trained and equipped the Ugandan employees with skills in using modern steel processing technology.
The Chairman of Tian Tang Group, which runs the industrial park, Paul Zhang, said they set up the industrial park to contribute to the government’s vision of industrialization and the creation of quality and sustainable jobs.
Zhang said: “Uganda needs many jobs for its young people and it is our duty and dreams to build a big industrial park”, adding that they aim to create over 40,000 jobs when the industrial park is fully operational.
According to Zhang, if Uganda maintains its current industrialization rate and favourable policies, it will get close to South Africa and Nigeria as one of the largest economies on the African continent.
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