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Locals sceptical on benefits from Amuru sugarcane projects
One of the sugar factories, Atiak Sugar Works, owned by Ms Hersi Amina Morghe, a Kenyan investor of Somali origin, is expected to start production early next year
What you need to know:
- The Amuru Sub-county chairperson, Mr David Ocira, said instead of setting up another sugar factory, government should have put up a rice irrigation scheme in the area.
Amuru. Locals in Amuru District are casting doubt on benefits the two multi-billion sugar factories in the their area will bring once production starts.
One of the sugar factories, Atiak Sugar Works, owned by Ms Hersi Amina Morghe, a Kenyan investor of Somali origin, is expected to start production early next year.
The factory sitting on approximately 1,500 acres of land in Pacilo, Atiak Sub-county, Amuru District is expected to produce 50,000 metric tonnes of sugar annually.
Addressing leaders from Acholi Sub-region in July, Dr Morghe noted that the factory will create jobs for the local communities and in return, it will improve their livelihoods.
Jointly the factories are expected to directly create 10,000 jobs. However, the residents argue that the sugar factories might not benefit them as anticipated due to their low levels of education.
According to Mr Geoffrey Akena, a resident, majority of the youth will end up being employed as sugarcane cutters due to their low level of education
“If one is employed as a casual worker, he will not earn much like administrators,” Mr Akena said.
Mr George Okello, a father of 10, said if setting up a sugar factory in the area brings development, the levels of poverty in Bunyoro and Busoga sub-regions should have significantly reduced.
He added that with the poor working conditions, he does not see any way that the communities are going to benefit from the multi-billion projects.
Options
The Amuru Sub-county chairperson, Mr David Ocira, said instead of setting up another sugar factory, government should have put up a rice irrigation scheme in the area.
“If sugar production was a good venture, majority of residents who live around Kakira Sugar Works in Jinja would have been millionaires,” he said.
The Kilak North County Member of Parliament, Mr Anthony Akol, however, told Daily Monitor in an interview over the weekend, that the out-growers are likely to benefit from such investments.
According to Mr Akol, if government supports farmers financially, they are likely to be empowered and earn big from the investment.
Ms Joyce Santa Laker, the chairperson of Atiak Sugarcane Outgrowers Co-operative Society, said there are already 4,750 outgrowers drawn from the eight districts in Acholi and Adjumani District.
