As part of its mandate to advocate for the interests of the business community, the Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UNCCI) visited the newly established Namanve Roofings Ltd plant.
In its second phase of a three part project, Roofings Group is employing 2,000 people to supply steel to the country and the Eastern African region. The project is a 140 million dollar investment driving development within the surrounding Namanve area. The UNCCI was welcomed by a wealthy team of representatives from the Roofings Group led by Mr. Stuart Mwesigwa and Dr. Martin Kyeyune.
They thanked the Chamber for its participation and continual cooperation with the Group and the business community. Expressing their challenges, the UNCCI was informed of sub standard steel products being introduced to the Ugandan market. They also commented on the lack of infrastructure at their Namanve location, and urged the Chamber to invite the Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives to their Namanve location.
The team from the Roofings Group was proud to share with the UNCCI their activities that have developed the surrounding community. They have worked on a health fair; building a fence for St. Peter's School-Namanve; given opportunity to interns; cleaned the environment by removing scrap; and majority of their employees come from the local community. They also have a state-of-the-art air purification system that does not harm the environment. The team from the UNCCI was led by Mr. Luwaga, a Director of the Chamber, who expressed his gratitude for such an immense establishment being developed on Ugandan soil. He further noted, "The development of the Ugandan economy depends on the success of such export promoting ventures".
Mr. Luwaga also expressed the enthusiasm of the Chamber to promote the Roofings Group in other markets through its wide network of International Chambers. He also stressed the need for Ugandans to delve into export promoting ventures that will improve the trade imbalance and foreign exchange position of the economy. The team from the UNCCI was taken on a tour of Phase 1 of the establishment, and a vast wealth of knowledge was shared between the two parties.