President Museveni Urges Leaders To Promote Wealth Creation
His Excellency the President of the Republic of Uganda, General (Rtd) Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has urged leaders to mobilise the population and join the money economy through commercial farming for the socio-economic transformation of Uganda.
President Museveni, who was officiating at the International Labour Day celebration held at Mukabura Ground, Fort Portal City, today, said that if people adopted the 4-acre model of farming, which he has been advocating for since 1996, the cry for jobs would cease. “You can not have jobs without wealth. We need a collective struggle to see how we create wealth,” said H.E Museveni.
He highlighted the example of Mr. Nyakaana from Tooro, who employs ten people permanently and five non-permanent workers on his 1.2 acres, earning him Ugx16 million (sixteen million shillings) per month and a total of Ugx180 million (one hundred and eighty million shillings) per annum, as one of the success stories of the 4-acre model intensive farming.
President Museveni argued that if 20 million acres out of the 40 million acres of Uganda’s arable land were utilised like Mr. Nyakaana, it would create job opportunities. He urged leaders to promote wealth creation by adopting the 4-acre model and investing in the seven enterprises of coffee, fruits, dairy farming, food crops, poultry, piggery, and fish farming.
The President cautioned employers who employ workers casually against exploiting them. This was in reaction to the speech by the Chairman General of the National Organisation for the Trade Unions of Uganda (NOTU), Mr. Musa Okello, who informed him that employers were ‘casualising labour’, a significant challenge for workers.
The celebration was held under the theme; “Improving access to labour justice: a prerequisite for increased productivity.”
The celebrations were graced by Cabinet and State Ministers, Members of Parliament, members of the Diplomatic Corps, Deputy Chief of Defence Forces Lieutenant General Sam Okiding, the Commander Land Force, Generals, and Officers, among others.