The Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Henry Musasizi, has directed the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) to prioritize the completion of critical infrastructure, including roads, water and electricity, in industrial parks to accelerate their growth and attract more investors.
Musasizi made the remarks on Friday during a meeting with the UIA management team led by Director General Robert Mukiza.
Minister Musasizi said industrial parks should only be licensed when essential amenities are accessible, noting that investment promotion and facilitation are core functions of the Ministry of Finance.
“Industrial parks must have the necessary infrastructure to support investors and facilitate the growth of industries,” Musasizi said.
According to Mukiza, 14 of the 25 planned industrial and agricultural business parks are currently fully operational, hosting 463 companies.
He said the industrial park ecosystem has mobilised USD 5.881 billion in investments and created 164,230 direct and indirect jobs, with manufacturing contributing significantly to employment creation.
However, Mukiza called for the operationalisation of regional One-Stop Centres, particularly in industrial parks that are already operational, to bring investment facilitation services closer to investors.
He also urged the Government to increase funding for the development and maintenance of industrial parks, negotiate competitive electricity tariffs and establish dedicated substations to ensure reliable power supply to industries.
The Minister of State for Privatization and Investment, Aminah Mukalazi, called for improvements in the licensing process and investor follow-up mechanisms to ensure that challenges affecting investors are addressed promptly.
She said the One-Stop Centre should be strengthened with adequately empowered staff capable of making decisions, which would help to speed up the licensing process.
Mukalazi also called for greater awareness of available investment incentives among prospective investors.
On land management, she proposed a review of land ownership arrangements in industrial parks, arguing that unutilised land should revert to the Government after a specified period to allow committed investors to access and develop it.
