President Museveni has pledged government support to Terra Industrial Development Company following the establishment of an iron ore processing factory in Rwenanura, Ntungamo District.
The project is expected to boost Uganda's industrialization agenda and promote value addition in the mining sector.
The commitment was made during a meeting at State Lodge, Nakasero, where the President met officials from Terra Industrial Development Company led by the Managing Director, Mr. Kong Dong Sheng.
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The company has established what officials described as Uganda's first pig iron processing factory capable of producing pig iron with a purity level of 93 percent. The development marks a significant milestone in Uganda's efforts to process mineral resources locally instead of exporting raw materials.
During the meeting, President Museveni reiterated the government's policy on value addition, emphasizing Uganda's commitment to ending the export of unprocessed minerals in order to maximize employment opportunities, industrial growth, and revenue generation within the country.
"I will support you. Remember, we banned the export of unprocessed minerals," President Museveni said.
The investors raised several infrastructure challenges affecting operations at the plant, including the need for a stable and reliable electricity supply to power heavy industrial machinery.
They also appealed for the upgrading of a 4.2-kilometre road connection between the Ntungamo-Mirama Hills road and the Kabale-Ntungamo highway. Particular attention was drawn to Kategure Bridge, which requires urgent rehabilitation to ensure smooth transportation of machinery, raw materials, and finished products.
President Museveni assured the investors that the government, through relevant ministries and agencies, would address the bottlenecks to support production and investment expansion.
The President also welcomed the investors' involvement in Uganda's health manufacturing sector through Sino-Africa Medical Devices, a company associated with the same investment group that produces World Health Organization pre-qualified long-lasting insecticide-treated mosquito nets used in malaria prevention.
President Museveni pledged that the government would consider allocating funds to begin procuring mosquito nets locally from the company. The move is intended to promote local manufacturing while reducing dependence on imported medical supplies.
The meeting was also attended by Amina Mukalazi, head of the State House Local Content Unit, which promotes local investment partnerships.
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