Bahati inaugurates new board for Uganda Industrial Research Institute
Bahati said the board would be responsible for governance, accountability and long-term planning, noting that the government had carefully vetted each appointee for experience, integrity and performance.
David Bahati, the Minister of State for Industry (second from left) and Gen. Ivan Koreta and other apointed members during the inauguration ceremoney the at Ministry headquaters in Kampala. (Credit: Ali Twaha)
By Ali Twaha
Journalists @New Vision
Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI) has finally got a governing board, ending an eight-year period in which the state-owned body operated without one.
While inaugurating the team at the Ministry of Trade headquarters in Kampala, David Bahati, the Minister of State for Industry, said the board would provide the strategic direction and oversight needed to strengthen the agency’s role in promoting industrialisation. The last UIRI board expired in July 2017.
Bahati said the board would be responsible for governance, accountability and long-term planning, noting that the government had carefully vetted each appointee for experience, integrity and performance.
“The board is composed of diverse professions with a wealth of experience, which will bring different perspectives to strategic decisions,” he said.
The new UIRI board will be headed by Rtd. Gen. Ivan Koreta as Chairperson. Other members include Jolly Kaguhangire, Dr. Catherine Wandera, Magdalene Akite, Ramathan Ggoobi, Joshua Mutambi, and Prof. Charles Kwesiga as Secretary.
The minister outlined UIRI’s main functions, including carrying out applied research to support product development, acquiring technologies to boost competitiveness, promoting value addition, linking government, academia and the private sector, and offering incubation and laboratory services.
Gen. Ivan Koreta is now the board chairperson of UIRI. (Credit: Ali Twaha)
He said these functions placed the institute at the centre of Uganda’s push for industrial growth and socio-economic transformation.
Bahati said that while the board will guide strategy, day-to-day operations remain with the executive director and management. He urged both sides to work in harmony, adding that government expected efficiency, transparency and accountability in service delivery.
“The responsibilities of the board and those of management under the executive director are clearly spelt out. We expect a harmonised working relationship. We have seen from experience that the board sometimes having an overlap when going into management. This sometimes creates unnecessary working relationships,” he said.
The minister congratulated the new appointees and expressed confidence in their ability to turn UIRI into a more effective driver of industrialisation.
Gen. Ivan Koreta said, “I don't take this responsibility as a joke. With the help of God and my colleagues, we should be able to carry out our duties and deliver our services effectively. I congratulate all the members who have been inaugurated and I look forward to work with them,” he said.