Africa-Press – Uganda. Officials from the Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) and Makerere University have advised a section of entrepreneurs to prioritise production of quality products to attract both internal and external markets.
While awarding certificates to 30 participants, Edward Katende from OWC said that prioritizing production of quality output will help struggling entrepreneurs.
“This will attract more clients to your products both in Uganda and abroad and as a government it will enable us to come and rescue you through the PDM programme. How do you select the product, how sustainable, lucrative is it to your customers? Does it suit the current demand and how do you package to ensure that it matches with the standards,” he said during the Thursday event.
“Majority of Ugandans lack entrepreneurship skills which you have accessed through this training for example record keeping, proposal writing, computer skills that have been taught to you in a more understandable way,” he added.
According to Katende, the government has initiated different programmes aimed at boosting Ugandan entrepreneurs who are struggling.
“We pledge to link you to different sources of funding in Uganda, don’t look for free money but capital that will enhance your businesses. PDM is preparing you and Makerere University is doing that under the entrepreneurship program,” he said
The participants, who included members from the; car wash, furniture, market vendors, special hire drivers and students, were trained in different entrepreneurial skills as they prepare to benefit from Parish Development Modal.
Different entrepreneurs have stringent access to funding, especially the small businesses recovery funds (SBRF) which were rolled out by Bank of Uganda to help local businesses that were hit by covid-19.
These said the commercial banks make it hard for them to get these funds after attaching stringent measures such as high interest rates.
Barely a fortnight ago, local investors who attended the stakeholders’ engagement hosted by the head of the State House Investor Protection Unit Col. Edith Nakalema at her office on September 27, raised the same issue.
At this particular meeting, Mr Richard Byarugaba, the executive director in-charge of finance at Bank of Uganda acknowledged the fact that the uptake of SBRF was too low where only Shs8 billion out of the Shs200 billion that had been availed in 2021 was consumed.
Speaking at Thursday’s function, the Principal of Makerere University College of Business and Management Sciences, Eria Hisali, said that the University will continue to offer training to different people to enable them gain skills that will help them in transforming their businesses.
“We aim at transforming our communities by ensuring that we offer solutions to challenges that face our people,” he said.
Government intends to turn 39 percent of Ugandans farmers who are practicing subsistence agriculture into commercial farmers through PDM.
For More News And Analysis About Uganda Follow Africa-Press
