President Museveni has requested people from Ntungamo District to locate 300 acres of available land where a factory producing industrial charcoal could be built. During his recent visit to Jinja, Museveni met young business owners from Abyssinia Industries who manufacture steel products. He mentioned that one entrepreneur expressed particular interest in Ntungamo for this venture.
The request came as Museveni addressed leaders from Ankole and Kigezi at Kyamate Secondary School on Saturday. His wife, First Lady Janet Museveni, who serves as Education Minister, accompanied him during this final stop on his Parish Development Model assessment tour through the Ankole region. The company under discussion, Abyssinia Iron & Steel Uganda Ltd, operates as part of East Africa's major steel producers with production capacity exceeding 700,000 metric tons annually.
Museveni explained that Uganda possesses excellent iron ore quality - among the world's finest - capable of creating steel at up to 70% purity. However, the manufacturing process requires charcoal for mixing to complete production. Jateen Patel, CEO of Abyssinia Group, attended as a special guest and informed the gathering about his company's search for approximately 10,000 acres (roughly 15 square miles) to establish tree plantations alongside a factory making industrial charcoal needed for steel production.
Patel described how they currently transport iron ore from Kabale and surrounding areas to Jinja for processing. The proposed facility would enable the manufacturing of industrial charcoal locally through organized, disciplined methods, allowing liquid steel production within the region. This project promises to create around 1500 direct jobs, mostly for residents, generating business exceeding $300 million. The plan involves planting fast-growing eucalyptus trees on a three-year harvest cycle to produce the necessary charcoal.
Museveni suggested using Ntungamo's bare hillsides for tree planting since lowland areas already house local communities. He asked Patel directly whether the company could grow trees in these elevated locations. The President has consistently highlighted the extraordinary quality of Ugandan iron ore as a key factor that could position the country as a global leader in steel manufacturing through increased value-addition efforts. First Lady Janet supported the proposal, mentioning previous tree-planting initiatives during her time in Ruhama.
Janet expressed confidence that Ntungamo residents would embrace this opportunity, noting numerous bare hilltops available beyond the requested acreage. She believed local communities might partner with the company for hilltop tree cultivation. Despite enthusiasm from the presidential couple and Patel's apparent interest in the proposition, regional leaders appeared to hold different perspectives on the proposed development plan.
The request came as Museveni addressed leaders from Ankole and Kigezi at Kyamate Secondary School on Saturday. His wife, First Lady Janet Museveni, who serves as Education Minister, accompanied him during this final stop on his Parish Development Model assessment tour through the Ankole region. The company under discussion, Abyssinia Iron & Steel Uganda Ltd, operates as part of East Africa's major steel producers with production capacity exceeding 700,000 metric tons annually.
Museveni explained that Uganda possesses excellent iron ore quality - among the world's finest - capable of creating steel at up to 70% purity. However, the manufacturing process requires charcoal for mixing to complete production. Jateen Patel, CEO of Abyssinia Group, attended as a special guest and informed the gathering about his company's search for approximately 10,000 acres (roughly 15 square miles) to establish tree plantations alongside a factory making industrial charcoal needed for steel production.
Patel described how they currently transport iron ore from Kabale and surrounding areas to Jinja for processing. The proposed facility would enable the manufacturing of industrial charcoal locally through organized, disciplined methods, allowing liquid steel production within the region. This project promises to create around 1500 direct jobs, mostly for residents, generating business exceeding $300 million. The plan involves planting fast-growing eucalyptus trees on a three-year harvest cycle to produce the necessary charcoal.
Museveni suggested using Ntungamo's bare hillsides for tree planting since lowland areas already house local communities. He asked Patel directly whether the company could grow trees in these elevated locations. The President has consistently highlighted the extraordinary quality of Ugandan iron ore as a key factor that could position the country as a global leader in steel manufacturing through increased value-addition efforts. First Lady Janet supported the proposal, mentioning previous tree-planting initiatives during her time in Ruhama.
Janet expressed confidence that Ntungamo residents would embrace this opportunity, noting numerous bare hilltops available beyond the requested acreage. She believed local communities might partner with the company for hilltop tree cultivation. Despite enthusiasm from the presidential couple and Patel's apparent interest in the proposition, regional leaders appeared to hold different perspectives on the proposed development plan.
