President Museveni presides over the launch of Atiak Sugar Factory

President Yoweri Museveni has today 22 October 2020 presided over the launch of the Atiak Sugar factory located in Atiak, Amuru district Northern Uganda.

 

Uganda Government through Uganda Development Corporation (UDC) in partnership with the private sector (Horyal Investment Holding Company Ltd (HIHC) invested in setting up 1,650 Tons of cane crushed per day (TCD) sugar processing plant in Atiak , Amuru district known as the Atiak Sugar Factory.

The capacity will be scaled up to 3,500TCD in phases 2 and 5,000 TCD in phase 3. The proposed plant will also produce by –products such as molasses and bagasse to produce ethanol and up to 6MW of electricity in phase 1. UDC holds 40% shares and this is the first large investment by Government in northern Uganda post-conflict.

 Approximately 15,000 outgrowers are integrated into the investment and are expected to supply cane to the factory. The proceeds from the supply of cane can be reinvested into cane growing and other commercial activities within the region.

Speaking at the launch of the factory, President Museveni emphasized knowledge and entrepreneurship as major factors of production that Ugandans should concentrate on. “The land is there, minerals are there, the forests, rivers, all those in economics are grouped under land. But we lack capital, we lack entrepreneurship, we don't have enough of it, but it is there a little bit,” he said.

He commended Amina Hersi Morhe for her entrepreneurship abilities and great contribution to the development of Uganda.

The northern region of Uganda was ravaged by war perpetrated by the Lord Resistance Army rebels which made the region to lag behind in terms of development.

After pushing the rebels out of the region and stabilizing it, the National Resistance Movement government embarked on several projects to boost development in the region and the Atiak factory is one of the many.