General Salim Saleh, the Chief Coordinator of Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) says that much as the government is struggling to create wealth and promote industrialization in the region, power inconsistency, and low supply have remained a major challenge.
The Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) has been faulted over the
failure to address inconsistent power supply in Northern Uganda.
The power regulatory authority has been accused of sabotaging business
development and industrialization in the Northern Region due to intermittent
and low power supply.
General Salim Saleh, the Chief Coordinator of Operation Wealth Creation (OWC)
says that much as the government is struggling to create wealth and promote
industrialization in the region, power inconsistency, and low supply have
remained a major challenge.
He noted that farmers and the business communities have for so long incurred
losses or suffered grounded businesses due to power outages.
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Saleh raised the concern on Friday during the Northern Region Business Forum
organized by the Uganda Development Bank (UDB) in Gulu City.
Patrick Bitature, the Chairman of Simba Group of Companies also noted that the
Northern Region is endowed with fertile and vast land for both agriculture and
mechanization but industries have often abandoned the region due to power inconsistency.
They tasked the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) which oversees Uganda`s
power provider UMEME to ensure a constant and adequate power supply in the
region for possible development.
But Ziria Tibalwa Waako the Chief Executive Officer attributed the problem to
having only a one-way grid supply from Tororo which also runs on only 33 KV
which is low for industrialization.
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She explained that ERA through Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited
(UEDCL) plans to extend the power supply in the region to three main lines of
Karuma and Aswa Power Dams by 2022 once they are completed.
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Patricia Ojangole, the Managing Director of Uganda Development Bank says they
want to promote industrialization and agriculture in the country including the
northern region through loans to promote household income and wealth
creation.
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There has been a persistent outcry from residents and the business communities
in Northern Uganda due to persistent power outages.
Bob Ogen, the Manager West Acholi Cooperative Union says that operations of
their machines have been often grounded due to power outages since some of them
cannot run on generators.
Recently Martin Ojara Martin Mapenduzi the Gulu LCV Chairperson also disclosed
that several factories and industries abandoned operations in Gulu due to
inconsistent power supplies and low voltages.
Emmy Daniel Ojara is a young journalist and has been practicing since 2013, during which he covered land rights violation in the contested Apaa and Lakang in Amuru as his first take ups while at Gulu Fm, Favor Fm and later Paidha Fm and Speak Fm where he is still attached.
Human rights abuses and denied access to land by security and government agencies has been the major aftermath of the contest over the lands. The underprivileged such as women, children and the elderly faced challenges in accessing soc
