For now, four years after its completion, the Gulu-based East and Central African Logistics Hub is yet to be operationalized. This is despite a cold room that preserves food items for export and import.
GULU CITY-WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2024.
By Livingstone Okumu Langole & Stephen Langole
For years since the East and Central Gulu Logistic Hub was constructed, everyone has wondered if the huge business center will remain just a ghost building.
The logistics hub is expected to have a customs center manned by the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) and a supportive system will be in place this month, August 2024.
“There is equipment, some are here in the station, while others are to be brought, they are being procured. A machine for uploading and offloading cargo is not yet in place,” said Charles Ijam the Manager of Gulu Logistic Hub.
Charles Ijam informed the Black Star news correspondent that the logistics hub was in Gulu because of its central location in the city with convenient proximity to South Sudan, Central African Republic, D.R. Congo, Tanzania and Kenya.
“The Logistics Hub was built to reduce transportation and business costs. “We realized if somebody brings cargo, it is easier to clear from here (Gulu) rather than from Mombasa in Kenya.“It is also meant to encourage export promotion so that the produce from Northern Uganda is easily cleared and transported.”
Northern Uganda is well known for its soil, topography, and climate supportive of large-scale commercial agriculture and boasts huge potentials albeit a lot of this has not as yet been tapped.
“When you come here, you get all the regulatory agencies of the government which start with the URA (Uganda Revenue Authority) which manages goods under custom, and the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) for goods certification, check on the standard of cargo it meets the requirement, Agriculture phytosanitary services that check all food for human consumption, plants, animals, and agricultural chemicals,” Ijam said.
“We also have the National Drugs Authority (NDA) that checks and certifies whether transit drugs are good for human consumption,” Ijam continued.
“The other thing is also to have a connection of both road and railway line here, and also to decongest Kampala because as it is now, the goods that go to D.R. Congo, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic are being cleared from Kampala but with the hub in place that will be a Gulu affair,” Ijam informed.
Ijam Charles informed us that the hub will cater to perishable agricultural produce such as watermelons, tomatoes, and fruits since cold room storage is provided for at the hub.
“We have talked to Northern Uganda Regional Development Forum, which works with farmer groups in the region, so that we acquaint them with our services, and we want to have training sessions with them,” Ijam added.
“We shall popularize railway transportation of goods. Railway wagons carry more goods than trucks, especially in terms of weight, and transportation costs are much lower. Railway line connections are very important as being on top of government agenda,” Ijam noted.
“The railway rehabilitation line which started a year ago is now between Kumi and Soroti districts, it will reach Gulu Railway station mid-next year, 2025,” Ijam informed.
The Guardians News noted that despite the logistics infrastructure in place, the old railway line rusted and decayed railway infrastructure in Gulu.
“As we wait for the Standard Gauge Railway line to be constructed; the old Meter Gauge Rail (MGR) is being rehabilitated to connect communities to the markets and will work concurrently with SGR in the future to transport goods to and from the logistics hub,” Ijam concluded.
Gulu Logistics Hub building (Courtesy photo by Henry Katumba).
Gulu Logistics Hub infrastructure (Courtesy photo by Odoch Peter Acellam).
