By Peterson Oluka
TESO – As the year 2018 almost becomes past tense, the Teso Parliamentary Group boss, Bishop Patrick Okabe has urged Iteso to make the best use of time and abundant resources bestowed to them by God for development.
The Serere district legislator says it’s his desire together with Teso leaders to guide Teso to greater heights of prosperity and health.
“Let us strive for the best for Iteso. We want to see Teso transformation and this will happen through commercial agriculture, better education in our schools, savings and cooperatives spread all over Teso. Let’s grow more fruits to feed into our fruit factory, restocking etc, propel the economy of Teso through small business enterprises,” he said.
Read his full speech below
Fellow Iteso believe me, no one will come to Teso and do it for us. We can and must do it ourselves. We have the capacity. Let’s not be left behind. Fellow Iteso who live in Kampala, lets come and build high rise buildings in Teso. We need factories in the Soroti industrial park. These will create jobs and urbanize Soroti municipality to develop into a city. We have the airfield which could become an international airport. Most investors do not want to drive 10 hours from Entebbe to Soroti. They want to fly from London to Soroti. Or catch a flight from Entebbe to Soroti. We need daily flights from Entebbe to Soroti.
These and many other ideas from Teso visionaries and flight could turn Teso around.
About the New Year;
The future is bright. 2019 is full of prospects and opportunities. The ferry is soon going to begin operating in Bugondo, Kagwara, to Kaberamaido and Busoga. Also there are plans to Tarmac Kumi- Kafrara- Soroti road. Turn Tisai island in lake Bisina into a resort island, Ngero rock paintings. I visited the Korean Heritage village which is a model of the old Korean traditional village. This could be established in Ngero. But someone should be willing to invest in this potential project.
Not forgetting our Soroti University and Kumi University. These universities should be the hub for Teso transformation wheel. Arapai Agriculture College, Why did we allow it to be called Busitema?
Our Serere research institute should be Agricultural University and research focused on Knowledge and Technology transfer. Soroti Flying School has failed us but we Teso MPs will soon address the issues of the flying school and Soroti regional hospital.
On Iteso Cultural Union.
My view on ICU is that it needs an overhaul. There is no need to hurry to elect a new Emorimor. What we need is more technical people and visionaries around Emorimor. Emorimor is just ceremonial figure head but we need administrators with plans for ICU. Culture is just a foundation we can use for economic development. Hold ICU marathon to raise money for Teso Education Fund not Heritage days where the president comes to address us and we remain licking dry hands. Let’s ask for tractors for each district. What makes culture rich is wealth. Traditional African kings were rich.
Teso, it is now or never. Let us wake up from slumber.
Merry Christmas and a Prosperous Happy New Year.
Hon Bishop Patrick Okabe
Chairman Teso Parliamentary Group
MP, Serere County
