DOKOLO – The Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) has secured 200 acres of land at Koroto, Northern Ward in Dokolo Town Council, Dokolo district to establish an industrial park.
The team on the ground comprised of staff from the Ministries of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Finance, Planning, and Economic Development, and Uganda Investment Authority.
The land located about 8 kilometers, north of Dokolo Town has more than 400 acres and part of it is being occupied by Koroto Prison.
If the park is established according to Uganda Investment Authority, it will directly create 10,000 jobs and more than 15,000 people will benefit indirectly.
The development has attracted excitement from the community, district leadership and legislators hailing from the district curbed out of Lira a few years ago.
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“This will help young people to earn and fight abject poverty if the project is delivered,” says Patrick Acup, a resident of Arudabiru cell.
State Minister for Investment, Evelyn Anite is currently traversing the country to secure land to set up 25 industrial parks with a target of; creating jobs, securing local investment opportunities, and introducing new technologies. Another aim to establish industrial parks is for skills development as well as boost Uganda’s export and increase local revenue base.
The district Chairperson, James Otto says, they handed over the UIA land title and tasked them to set up fish, wood, and food factories.
“We have given them our proposal and what we want to be established in the land,” Otto says during an interview.
“We don’t want an investor who comes and sets up the factory and it remains redundant or tries to change the agreed plan, if it happens, we shall cancel the title,” he adds.
The Director for industrial park development at Uganda Investment Authority Hamza Galiwango says the district has made it easy by donating the land with a ready title.
The Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Isa Mbooge applauded the team saying it will go a long way to fight unemployment, reduce poverty and illiteracy.
According to Francis Ogema, a board member of Uganda National Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Lira branch, the team was supposed to be offered land in Lira but there was a dispute over its ownership.
A section of farmers has dragged Lira district to court over the land located 10km along Lira-Kitgum road claiming ownership of the 1,500 acres of land.
In a twist of events, when the information about the government’s plan to set up an industrial park came out, Lira City also raised a concern claiming that the land in contention is located within their boundary and they have full ownership to give UIA.
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