By Wadulo Mark Arnold
The State Minister for Industry, Hon. David Bahati has conducted an oversight visit to Najjera Business Hub in the suburbs of Kampala as part of his ongoing routine monitoring of the industrial sector.
The visit was aimed at evaluating operational efficiency, monitoring production processes, and gaining firsthand insight into the challenges faced by manufacturers, and identifying strategic areas where the government of Uganda can provide targeted support to strengthen productivity and value addition.
Speaking after touring the business hub, Hon. Bahati commended the investors at the hub for their commitment to value addition, job creation, and supporting the Buy Uganda Build Uganda initiative.
“This hub not only adds value to our raw materials but employs over 200 Ugandans and continues to strengthen Uganda export potential,” said Bahati.
The minister reiterated the government’s commitment to supporting value chains, especially in cocoa, coffee, and other raw materials, to drive industrial growth and prosperity.
Najjera business hub is home to a number of manufacturing facilities, including ADMA International, Nova Plastic Packaging Ltd, and SAMCO plastics that produce a wide range of products, including plastics, packaging materials, high-end liquid soaps, and animal feeds, among other and other value-added products.
Speaking on behalf of the investors at Najjera business hub, Laban Musinguzi raised some of the challenges affecting their operations, including the high production costs, access to markets, poor infrastructure, among others that affect their competitiveness.
Minister Bahati assured the manufacturers of Government’s commitment to working closely with the private sector to address these challenges and ensure that industries have the support they need to expand, increase productivity, and add value to locally available raw materials.
The factory engagement underscores government commitment to maintaining close collaboration with industrial players, ensuring a conducive business environment, and fostering sustainable growth within Uganda’s industrial value chain.
The routine visits to industries are designed to assess the performance of industries, identify policy and operational bottlenecks, and strengthen collaboration between government and manufacturers. Such engagements provide valuable feedback that informs interventions aimed at promoting industrialization, boosting value addition, creating jobs, and advancing Uganda’s vision of a resilient and competitive manufacturing sector.
