Africa-Press – Angola. The increase in the investment portfolio, through the search and attraction of new sources of financing, is one of the main goals of the Industrial Development Pole of Caála (Huambo), considered the third largest in the country.
The Pole, implemented in 2015, has an area of approximately 1,820 hectares (1 ha corresponds to 10,000 square meters), of which 583 ha have already been prepared, 100 for industrial lots and 10.5 for service lots and trade.
It currently has four factories, namely desks, mattresses and home and hospital furniture, with a total of 129 active jobs, of which 122 are nationals and seven are expatriates.
According to the coordinator of the Pole, Angelina Cochi, in addition to the four factories in full operation, the space will be able to count, in the near future, with another five in the completion phase, as a result of the improvement the business environment and private investment.
He said that there were two factories for processing wheat and producing pasta, vegetable oil, cement, glue and paint, and another for assembling mills.
The person in charge informed that, despite this investment, the Pole has registered the interruption, in the last six years, of the works of four other factories of production of detergents, of toilet paper and of concrete.
Angelina Cochi said that the installation of factories in the Caála Industrial Development Pole has significantly decreased in 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Since 2020, investors have been complaining about the lack of funding to boost the Pole, currently far below expectations, from the point of view of evolution, hence the focus on seeking and attracting new sources of investment”, he said.
He explained that the lack of support infrastructure is also another obstacle to the accelerated installation of different manufacturing units, with a focus on promoting socioeconomic growth.
The person in charge said that the Pole lacks, above all, electricity, drinking water distribution systems, sewers and streets, in order to attract national and foreign researchers.
space invasion
Angelino Cochi warned that the heavy investment currently taking place has motivated the surrounding population to invade the space, with the carrying out of agricultural activities.
Without specifying the area invaded, the official said that, so far, six mines of more than one hectare/each have been accounted for, inside the space reserved for the Industrial Development Pole of Caála.
Faced with this situation, he said that the Hub’s coordination is working with the municipal administration of Caála to raise awareness among the population, to avoid occupying the space, which is focused on revitalizing the industrial plant in Huambo province.
The Caála Industrial Development Pole is, along with the Gove Hydroelectric Facility, the “whoopee” of this municipality, located 23 kilometers west of the city of Huambo.
The location of the Pole, located in an area adjacent to the Benguela Railway, is an added value for investors, as it allows the transport of raw materials and other goods from the Port of Lobito to the province of Huambo in a short time and without constraints.
The Pole is part of the first group of intervention priorities in the field of industrial location infrastructures in the Industrial Development Plan of Angola, for the 2021-2025 horizon.
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