By Andrew Irumba
The minister without Portfolio and former Luwero district LC5 Chairman Alihaji Abdul Naduli has pledged to mobilize all farmers in Luwero triangle to grow mangoes, pineapples, passion fruits and other fruits to support the pioneer natural fruit juice local producer, Britania Allied Industries Ltd, the producers of house hold item- SPLASH.
Naduli revealed this on Wednesday afternoon while on a tour at the Ntinda Industrial area based manufacturing company, while on a fact finding mission on how and who supports ‘Buy Uganda Build Uganda’ (BUBU) campaign. Minister said this would help to find out how the Government would better support the local manufacturers and who in particular needs such support.
Naduli was accompanied by a high level delegation from Financial Investment Company (FIC) from Germany owned by Libyan nationals. The high level delegation was led by Mr.Ali Salabi, the company’s Chairman and Mr.Lamin Kanon, a member and director of the same.
The Libyan Government is the majority shareholder at Britania, having secured them during the leadership of late Col.Muamar Gaddafi.
Minister Naduli also moved with a delegation from world Islamic Call Society in Uganda who included Abdul Karim Kaliisa who doubles as Chairman Next media services which manages NBS TV, also managing Director of Salam TV, an Islamic channel.
Naduli said the Government was committed to ‘ironing out’ all the bottlenecks that hamper local manufacturers from steady progress but said that they would go step by step.
“I want you to have confidence in me that when you talk to me, you’ve talked to the president. I have been with the president for long, we were together in the bushes of Luwero, and we’re still tightly together even now. When I tell him something, he knows I’m genuine, and by the way he knows I’m older than him by two years, I was born in 1942 whereas he was born in 1944. For now I’m going to use my powers in Luwero as minister and former LC5 there, and as a child of that place, I will mobilize all farmers to start growing mangoes, passion fruit etc of your type that you need to produce, so that even that local farmer becomes part and parcel of Buy Uganda Build Uganda,” Naduli said.
On the part of Libyans having investments in Uganda, he said; “When I see Libyans here, I get extremely happy. Our relation with Libya goes along way.
During the struggle in the 80s, Museveni led a delegation to Libya to seek for support. I can remember some people on the team; they included late Sam Njuba, Gen.Moses Ali, Amanya Mushega, Eriya Kategaya, Mondo and Godffrey Binaisa. It’s from those engagements that Libya donated to us a fully-fledged aircraft, fully equipped to fight and a lot of other assorted ammunitions. When we came back, we over ran all the Aduyi’s (Kiswahili word meaning their tormentors) installations. We used Libyan air craft and guns to take power! So to me, when I see them here now, I remember those memories, even the president knows up to now. That’s why even when Gaddafi got problems, Uganda stood with Libya,” he said.
On behalf of the Libyan Gov’t, Mr.Mohammad Elizhorgani Director Finance and representative of the Libyan Gov’t at Britania Allied revealed that they have injected in another whooping US$ 5Million (approx. UGX 19 Billion) in a new plant to start production of bottled Splash and would start production early December this year.
Bottled splash, once on the market will be competing with Coca Cola’s Minute maid and imported Afia juices among others.
The Managing Director Mr.Vinay Dawda thanked the minister for the visitation and assured him that their partnership with Libyans is extremely good, healthy and productive, and that it was good for the country too, because they have managed to expand their businesses and meet their tax obligations, among others. “We contribute to national economy through taxes by over Fifteen Billion (15) per year. We employ over one thousand (1000) workers directly and indirectly, so our partnership has been fruitful,” Vinay said. More pictorial evidence bellow…
