By Ben Sebuguzi
In 1992, when government allowed the growing of flowers,few people would no that the floriculture sector would grow and become our top ten foreign exchange earner contributing close to $30m in export revenues to our motherland Uganda according to Juliet Musoke, the Executive Director Uganda Flower Exports Association.
Even then when government was starting to encourage investors to grow flowers,some government technocrats were not positive about the idea like they are trying to frustrate the growing of medicinal cannabis basing on clumsy reasons.
Right now as we speak, Rosbud and Premier flower companies,the two leading growers and exporters of flowers in Uganda owned by Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia, one of our prominent indigenous industrious and innovative investor,together with other 30 flower companies, now employ more than 8,500 employees with 80% females.
If indeed government had listened to those people who were negative about supporting the flowers sector, the economy would lose such contributions to our GDP.
In the same way,our government should give a deaf ear to those trying to frustrate marijuana growing in our country. We acknowledge National Drug Authority and Uganda Investment Authority who have already licensed Together Pharma, an Israel firm to start the growing of marijuana in Kasese which has already attracted about 20 companies which have also expressed interest in growing one of the most robust crop in the world with value estimated to about $50billions. We also thank Cabinet for extensively debating and researching about the same.The Bible says: Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man dwelling,but a foolish man devours it.
Ben Ssebuguzi is the Secretary General, Uganda Poor Youth Movement.
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