Give Bidco land, says Migereko
May 07, 2006
TRADE and industry minister Daudi Migereko has ordered Kalangala district to expedite the allocation of 3,000 hectares of land to BIDCO.
By Joel Ogwang
TRADE and industry minister Daudi Migereko has ordered Kalangala district to expedite the allocation of 3,000 hectares of land to BIDCO.
He blasted the district land board for frustrating the multi-billion shilling firm that manufactures cooking oil from palm.
“This is an issue that should have been resolved in 2005. The Government decided that BIDCO gets the 3,000 hectares but the land board is dilly-dallying. This is a multi-billion investment that we cannot allow to stall. I want the problem solved swiftly,†Migereko said.
He said he would talk to Dr. Maggie Kigozi, the Uganda Investment Authority chief, to ensure the land is availed.
Migereko was speaking at a heads of department workshop on transforming agriculture for development in Uganda at Colline Hotel, Mukono on Friday.
BIDCO, employing about 7,000 Ugandans, has invested US$45m (about sh83b) in a project that produces about $20m worth of palm oil per year.
The firm commissioned a $140m plantation on Bugala Island in Kalangala and also opened a $25m refinery in Jinja in 2005.
The tough-talking Migereko sought Olive Nakyanzi, the Kalangala chief administrative officer’s mobile phone number and vowed to call her and ensure the issue is solved as soon as possible.
He said the Government would invite as many investors as possible to increase jobs.
Migereko said it was because of the high unemployment rate that Ugandans were risking their lives to travel to Iraq for kyeyo (odd jobs).
“Let’s not look at the UK, US and the Middle East for jobs. We can create as many jobs if we attract investors,†he said.
TRADE and industry minister Daudi Migereko has ordered Kalangala district to expedite the allocation of 3,000 hectares of land to BIDCO.
He blasted the district land board for frustrating the multi-billion shilling firm that manufactures cooking oil from palm.
“This is an issue that should have been resolved in 2005. The Government decided that BIDCO gets the 3,000 hectares but the land board is dilly-dallying. This is a multi-billion investment that we cannot allow to stall. I want the problem solved swiftly,†Migereko said.
He said he would talk to Dr. Maggie Kigozi, the Uganda Investment Authority chief, to ensure the land is availed.
Migereko was speaking at a heads of department workshop on transforming agriculture for development in Uganda at Colline Hotel, Mukono on Friday.
BIDCO, employing about 7,000 Ugandans, has invested US$45m (about sh83b) in a project that produces about $20m worth of palm oil per year.
The firm commissioned a $140m plantation on Bugala Island in Kalangala and also opened a $25m refinery in Jinja in 2005.
The tough-talking Migereko sought Olive Nakyanzi, the Kalangala chief administrative officer’s mobile phone number and vowed to call her and ensure the issue is solved as soon as possible.
He said the Government would invite as many investors as possible to increase jobs.
Migereko said it was because of the high unemployment rate that Ugandans were risking their lives to travel to Iraq for kyeyo (odd jobs).
“Let’s not look at the UK, US and the Middle East for jobs. We can create as many jobs if we attract investors,†he said.