ARUA –West Nile Cooperative Union has spent close to 80 percent of the Shs 2 billion government donation on capital accumulation meant to increase and diversify production.
In the financial year 2021/2022, government donated Shs 2 billion to the union aimed at aiding its revival.
Talking to this reporter this week, the Union leaders said they used Shs 1.3bln of the money to acquire capital equipment.
The union’s manager, Moses Etukibo, said that they used Shs 100 million to acquire a vehicle, Shs100mln to establish West Nile Agriculture and Cooperative College, Shs 860mln , Shs 500mln to clear creditors while the rest of the money was spent on office refurbishment and utilities.
Etukibo said, “Government appreciated us for spending the money on income generating ventures. We will grow and become vibrant again.”
“We were formerly known as ‘Tobacco Farmers Union’ for growing tobacco, but we have used the governments’ donation to diversify our production. Our farmers now grow oil seeds, food crops like cassava, and practice apiary and poultry keeping, among others,” he added.
Moses Findru, the representative of Oluko cooperative society to West Nile cooperative Union, says the Shs 2bln capital investment has made it easy for farmers to engage in large-scale production. “Our farmers now find it easy to hire the tractors and other farm equipment at reduced price to increase on their production,” Findru noted.
The Union’s chairman Board of directors, Christopher Adia, is optimistic that how the donation was spent will help in their revival. He says, “In our work plan, we aim to establish poultry incubation centres, establish commercial buildings, among other projects.”
However, Arua district commercial officer, John Ezuma, called for unity among the union leaders if they are to help the union do serious business.
West Nile Cooperative Union has 23 cooperative societies. Each society consists of between 1,000-2,000 farmers.
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