Minister Kasaija (2nd L) with investor Enrica Pinetti (left) after signing the agreement. Looking on (2nd Right) is Ramathan Ggoobi, PS, Ministry of Finance
Minister Kasaija (2nd L) with investor Enrica Pinetti (left) after signing the agreement. Looking on (2nd Right) is Ramathan Ggoobi, PS, Ministry of Finance
Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Finance has given the proprietor of Lubowa International Hospital more land in Namanve Industrial Park to establish a coffee processing plant.
This after the Minister of Finance, Matia Kasaija signed a project implementation agreement with Enrica Pinetti, the Board Chairman of Uganda Vinci Coffee Company Limited to establish a Coffee processing plant at Kampala Industrial and Business Park, Namanve.
According to Kasaija, the coffee plant is expected to process 60,000 tonnes of coffee per annum at full capacity, but will start with processing 27,000 tonnes and that the company is expected to create 246 jobs for employees and skilled labourers.
“This project is crucial and will help coffee farmers get better prices. Middlemen have been taking much of our money. We will earn more money from our sweat.” Construction will commence within one year,” Kasaija said.
It should be recalled that in March 2019, Government approved request by the Ministry of Finance to guarantee a loan for the construction of a specialised hospital in Lubowa through the issuance of a promissory notes to a tune of USD379.71m approximately Shs1.393Trn to the investor in question.
In its proposal, Government said the facility would be constructed on 32hectares in Lubowa in Wakiso district and would be divided in four zones including; clinical, education, recreation and housing zones.
The hospital was meant to carry 54 Oncology beds, 27 infectious disease beds, 27 medical beds, 16VIP beds, eight ICU beds, as well as 60 outpatient beds, 54 surgery beds, 27 paediatrics beds, 27OBGYN beds, 16 intensive Care, 8 neo-natal ICU beds and 11 operating theatres.
Enrica Pinetti is the proprietor of the hospital and had promised to construct the hospital in two years, and later run the hospital for six years before the hospital reverts back to Government.
However, three years down the road, the project is yet to take off, with Government keeping silent on the progress.
We are here to execute works.
I have gone to lubowa site severally.
We need such projects because it is our own.
Huge amount would not go out if we had such here.