President Yoweri Museveni has commended entrepreneurs, venturing into the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) market, for raising production of farmers in Uganda.
“Thank you for taking up the call of duty to raise production by buying from our farmers, building your skills and supplying the regional markets,” he commended.
Following a business summit government supported three weeks ago, over 10 entrepreneurs picked up contracts for the supply of agricultural products, and selected services in partnership with the Congolese, something that impressed the President.
“I congratulate all of you for having the lenses to see what we have been preaching about for a very long time. I have seen a number of you in supply of chicken and eggs such as the Poltin Group of Salimah Buwembo and Mbabazi from Owino Market who have secured three trucks per week for 15, 000 trays to Eastern Congo, the Yo Kuku company, with orders of 12 tons of chicken. The fresh and dried mushrooms export companies and even the Tooke brand from our Presidential Initiative on Bananas,” he said.
President Museveni encouraged all those who have not ventured out yet to join the pathfinders on the market and explore opportunities and start their businesses.
The Parish Development Model which was launched recently is meant to increase production at the household level and companies like the entrepreneurs will help lift production into the market.
He assured those who have raised questions of insecurity and sustainability of trade that the East African Community has a solution to the problem.
“Working together, we have established an East African standby force, the major breakthrough for us to act together against the surveyors of lawlessness and deal with legitimate issues affecting Eastern Congo,” Museveni stated.
The President also revealed that some roads have been opened up in cooperation with the DRC. The current motor-able security roads are Rwebishengo, Semulik, Mboga, Kyabi, Kainama (78kms) Busunga, Mukakati Semlik, Benni bridge joining Kainama (72kms).
He said the roads that will be tarmacked based on an agreement with the DRC are Kasindi, Benni, Butembo highway, Bunagana, Bucuru and Goma.
On matters of food safety and quality which makes our products uncompetitive against Western imports into Africa, Museveni said he talked to the exporters’ advisory committee to study the matter and recommend solutions to remove all those bottlenecks.
Museveni also said there are solutions for Aflatoxins by using some biotechnology.
Museveni, therefore, asked entrepreneurs to also continue working with them on the matter of border warehousing and cold rooms for commodities.
“We shall handle all these issues because this is the reason the Movement preached co-ordination between the public and private sectors as a keyway to raise the productivity of the country and defeat poverty,” he said
