UNRA earmarks sh1.5bn for skills development

Mar 28, 2015

As the government moves to spend more on infrastructural development, UNRA has earmarked $500,000 (about sh1.5b) to register engineers in the country.


By Patrick Jaramogi              

As the government moves to spend more on infrastructural development, the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) has earmarked $500,000 (about sh1.5b) to register engineers in the country.

The registration that will last three years is geared towards professionalizing the roads industry sector ahead of the infrastructural master plan.

This was disclosed by Gerald Ndawula, UNRA’s human resources manager at the closure of a five-day training on inventory, storage and supplies management at the UNRA offices in Kyambogo on Friday.

The training was conducted by Management Training and Advisory Center (MTAC) experts.

Addressing UNRA officials drawn from their 26 branches across the country, Ndawula said: “It has been a struggle to get UNRA officials training. We used to fly our staff for trainings abroad but people don’t appreciate that flying has become more dangerous these days.       

“We are happy that management has now realized the need for local training especially using hands-on institutes like MTAC. In the next three years UNRA will spend $ 500,000 in registering engineers and trainings.”        

The HR manager said that with support from the Japanese government, Kampala is set to have more fly-overs to address the rampant jams.

“But this will come with capacity development. We shall register all engineers so that the blame is heaped on a professional level and the punishment for offenders is heavy.”

Ndawula urged those not ready to study further to quit early. “The focus will be three areas of professionalization, input and degree of integrity.”

MTAC executive director Soliter Karanzi Nabeta said that as they celebrate 50 years of existence this year, efforts are being pushed towards enhancing craftsmanship skills development.

“We want to increase skills among professionals. It is not wrong for a PhD holder to learn catering or shoe making. This can be skill for side income earning,” said Nabeta.

He said the courses that have been started this year will cater for those interested in doing tailoring, hair dressing, cosmetics, bakery, cookery, shoe making and leather tanning.

It is understood MTAC will continue to offer tailor-made skills development courses for government and non-government departments.
 

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