Nsibambi Raps AGOA Saboteurs

Dec 23, 2002

PRIME minister Apolo Nsibambi has scoffed at government officials trying to delay implementation of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) scheme of exporting textiles to America, saying that they cannot stop the tide of development.

By Ricks Kayizzi
PRIME minister Apolo Nsibambi has scoffed at government officials trying to delay implementation of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) scheme of exporting textiles to America, saying that they cannot stop the tide of development.

“Some officials have been delaying our exports by avoiding to draw up policies to guide this process,” he said during his inspection of AGOA champions Apparels Tri-star Uganda Ltd factory premises in Bugolobi on Saturday.

Nsibambi said he was at the factory to assess problems and unite the parties involved to speed up the process.

“I have now discovered that the textile producers here are ready and there is no reason why there should be delays in the process of exporting our textiles,” he told The New Vision after the tour.

Accompanying Nsibambi were state minister for privatisation Sam Kuteesa, tourism minister Prof. Edward Rugumayo and the permanent secretary in the finance ministry, Chris Kasami.

Others were the finance ministry director of economic affairs, Keith Muhakanizi and the presidential adviser on AGOA, Suzan Muhwezi.

Tri-Star Group chairman Kumar Dewapura said they were beating the target out of the order made by a US firm, which requested for about 300,000 shorts early this year. Tri-star has exported about 164,000 pairs of shorts to the USA market.
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