UGANDA: NORBERT MAO EMBRACE ACHOLI PARAMOUNT CHIEF, RWOT RICHARD SANTO APIRE ATAIK SUGAR FACTORY VISIT
The Oryal Executive Director Dr. Amina welcomes Acholi paramount chief Lawirwodi Rwot Santo Apire to settle past differences
Rwot Richard Santo Apire says he has come with an Olive branch; there has been a turbulence,
AMURU-ATIAK SUGARWORK FACTORY, FRIDAY 6, 2024
By Okumu Livingstone Langol
Eng. Akena Ogik, the proprietor of Atiak Sugar factory the person at the center of conflict with his siblings took to the pulpit to welcome Rwot Richard Santo Apire and Dr. Mhoge Amina, hardly while still sweating chief serious not surprisingly as he has been endowed in family squabble.
The moment Mr. Ogik took to the pulpit, he echoed words of the people of Pacilo clan, we welcome everybody, Rwot Santo Apire, Acholi Paramount Chief, Dr. Moge Amina, I would like to say what you have seen here, a lot of Activities have been done.
When Dr. Amina came here she was expecting this development because of our hard work, although she fought a lot of war for this project with donor communities.
“She is the only one black African to come up with a sugarcane factory south of Sahara Africa, she came here during the time of war, we are proud of Dr. Amina because she put Pacilo people on the map of the world. Today I am one of the people who are just very happy, I am praying to God to let our people be happy, I thank Rwot Richard Santo Apire Lawirwodi Acholi for coming here.”
Dr. Moge Amina, of Oryal Sugarcane Factory in her welcome remark to Rwot Richard Santo Apire was candid, she says first of all, I thank God and I thank Lawirwodi, Rwot Richard Santo Apire for his coming here.
“If anything God has made history here in Atiak, I started business when I was 9 years old, because I grew up in the area where sugar cane plantation began, when the Kenya government started to empower the community, which is when I learned how to be involved in sugar cane plantation.” Dr. Amina reasoned.
Adds, this sugar cane plantation needs risk takers, when I put the sugar factory I thought my problems would be solved, this Atiak Sugar factory is going to be a food basket for Northern Uganda, although in the past people know only Atiak massacres, Dr. Amina commented.
Norbert Mao, Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs first thanked Rwot Santo Richard Apire, Lawirwodi and later praised the family of John Omaya, says we want to tell you that Rwot Santo Apire is not new here because this is his jurisdiction.
“we have been asking when Rwot Santo Apire is coming here to visit Atiak Sugarcane, we have been asking when Rwot Apire will visit us. It’s very important that development is not easy, conflict is always there. Even when I was going to marry my wife, I have to talk to the elder’s people, because we have the root, Mr. Norbert Mao mooted.
Turning to Dr. Amina, Mr. Mao says, for Dr. Amina she should know that Acholi should know that team leadership has meaning, the light that she has sworn here, she must know that she has become an Acholi.
“This is a new chapter in Acholi, in the journey for this project, and we must guard this project with the gilt.”
Minister of Justice and constitutional Affairs, in a mock voice says, way back in 1991, after graduating from Makerere University Law, I had applied to be enrolled for Uganda judiciary, but I was rejected. not given the that job, but when I asked my uncle Justice Ralph Ochen, who was one of the penal of the interviewer, he told me that I have passed very high, but they could not give me that job, because I had led rebellion at the University. But now who is the head of that ministry on constitutional Affairs, not me who was rejected.
Mr. Mao adds, when we talk about disagreement, you can agree to disagree, that does not means you’re an enemy, when I was the Chairman Gulu District, Dr. Amina came wanted to developed a plot here, I chased her away, but when I wanted to sugarcane in Atiak, I went to her.
“You don’t need to agree on all the issues, you have to settle others. This is the time elders should teach, it is good that Rwot Santo Apire has discipline that he has taken up the leadership of Acholi paramount chief, let us give him time ” Mao noted.
Today should be a milestone, pe waloko gang wa me Acholi odok gang me ki sirana, I know this is the time leadership has meaning. We have 16% of arable land in Acholi Sub Region, this land is a food basket for Uganda, Norbert Mao warned.
Rwot Richard Santo Apire says he has come with Olive branch, there has been a turbulent, I took time to come here in Atiak Sugar factory, although I disagreed with in the meaner how the land was given and the compensations to the Pacilo people 8 families who gave the 25,000 areas of land to this Atiak sugar factory.
I look at this Atiak sugar factory as a development in Uganda, this project comes with 100 percent project responsibility like accommodation, health sectors, education sectors and hospitality that will be a cornerstone for the Atiak community.
“I have brought these chiefs to support you, I have brought projects like Bamboo trees which should have been planted in Okidi areas, but the document is still blocked with company registration, it was from a German project $700 million that can employ 1000 people. But I have taken it elsewhere in Acholi areas where I have been moving to mobilize the people.
Rwot Santo Apire, reassure Dr. Amina of the Oryal Investment Limited that they have come, we will work with you, this issue is minor, we are going to sort it out.
Rwot Santo Apire, Lawirwodi, appalled Dr. Amina for the heavily Mechanize smart irrigation which has been brought in Atiak which he has not seen in Kakira and Lugazi factories.
Rwot Santo Apire, who arrived in Atiak Sugar Factory with Rwot John Ogenga Obita of Labongo Amida, Rwot Peko Lugai of Pajule, and Rwot Opobo of Pabbo. They were taken to Atiak Sugar cane tour, where they saw over head irrigation dam.
