By Andrew Cohen Amvesi
ARUA
Concerned residents of Arua city have called for strengthening of the capacities of local companies so that they can be competitive to grow the local economies.
Speaking during a meeting with bank managers, contractors and a section of the business community at Pacific hotel over the weekend, the residents said this, if not done, will continue to see the region lag behind as the only profit is flown out of the country by foreign owned companies.
Caesar Trinity Draecabo, the Arua city development forum chairman noted that an urgent step is needed to be taken to address the imbalance which has seen external players taking all the available opportunities.
“The question over time is how vibrant is the private sector in West Nile, yet this private sector plays its role of complimenting what the government is able to put for the citizens, how this private sector takes advantage of virgin economies of South Sudan and Eastern DR Congo with very high demand for goods and services”, Draecabo asked.
“How enhanced is the capacity of local private sector players in West Nile to compete for various opportunities of investment, Arua city is making an attempt to engage the private sector to play a role in the development of their city under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement” Draecabo added.
He said though prospects of previous arrangements have been frustrated, the private sector should take up the new opportunities presented and do a joint investment.
Arua city is currently looking for private investors so that they can invest jointly in a project dubbed, “durable solutions to displaced persons” in Arua city also co-funded by United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) to construct a resource centre on prime land.
Silas Anguzu of Mara Mingi Business solutions said the capacities of locals can be enhanced to enter into major projects.
“Housing is very intrinsic in urban development and our people should develop the culture of developing land and that is why Mara Mingi is coming in, we have titled lands in various parts of this city which we develop after giving us 40% payment and the 60% is given after completion when we hand you over the keys”, Mr Anguzu stated during the engagement.
But Habib Asega, the ABSA bank manager for Arua branch said the Arua stadium construction project had frustrated many potential investors from taking part in the partnership as the project remains a white elephant but he was quick to state that the arrangement was working in other regions.
