LAND BONANZA! Stalled Lubowa hospital investor to set up coffee plant in Namanve
Stalled Lubowa hospital investor(L) and Min of finance officials after signing the agreement
By our reporter
The Ministry of Finance has gifted the proprietor of Lubowa International Hospital with more land in Namanve Industrial Park to establish a coffee processing plant. This was after the Minister of Finance, Matia Kasaija signed a project implementation agreement with Enrica Pinetti, the Board Chairman of Uganda Vinci Coffee Company Limited to establish a Coffee processing plant at Kampala Industrial and Business Park, Namanve.
According to Kasaija, the coffee plant is expected to process 60,000 tons of coffee per annum at full capacity, but will start with processing 27,000 tons and that the company is expected to create 246 jobs for employees and skilled laborers.
Kasaija said: “This project is crucial and will help coffee farmers get better prices. Middlemen have been taking much of our money. We will earn more money from our sweat.” Construction will commence within one year.”
It should be recalled that in March 2019, cabinet approved a request by the Ministry of Finance to guarantee a loan for the construction of a specialised hospital in Lubowa through the issuance of promissory notes to a tune of USD379.71m approximately Shs1.393Trn.
In its glossy proposal, the Government said the facility would be constructed on 32 hectares in Lubowa in Wakiso district and would be divided in four zones including; clinical, education, recreation and housing zones.
The hospital was meant to carry 54 Oncology beds, 27 infectious disease beds, 27 medical beds, 16VIP beds, eight ICU beds, as well as 60 outpatient beds, 54 surgery beds, 27 pediatrics beds, 27OBGYN beds, 16 intensive Care, 8 neonatal ICU beds and 11 operating theatres.
Enrica Pinetti is the proprietor of the hospital and had promised to construct the hospital in two years, and later run the hospital for six years before the hospital reverts back to Government. However, three years down the road, the project is yet to take off, with the Government keeping silent on the progress.
About Post Author
