Buliisa district authorities want the government to take over the management of Kirama vocational training institute that has been abandoned for the past seven years. The institute that is currently surrounded by bushes was built ten years ago back by the community with support from the Uganda Wildlife Authority-UWA under the revenue sharing scheme.
Situated in Kirama village in Kigwera sub-county, the institute was constructed to provide holistic vocational training to Buliisa residents. However, the institute has since been abandoned due to the lack of funding. The institute lacks instructors, furniture, equipment, and workshops among others.
Fred Lukumu, the Buliisa LC V Chairperson wants the government to take charge of the vocational school so that it can provide vocational skills training to the children in Buliisa district since it is the only vocational training school there. According to Lukumu, the community is financially incapacitated and can’t manage to run the affairs of the school hence abandoning it.
Norah Bigirwa, the Buliisa Woman Member of parliament, says it is the responsibility of the government to ensure that each district gets a vocational training institute. She asks the government to take over the institute and provide sufficient vocational training to the people of Buliisa district. Bigirwa says there are many youths from the district who would want to get vocational skills and work in the crucial oil and gas sector but don’t have where to train.
Kennedy Oringi, the LC 3 Chairperson of Ngwedu sub county wants oil companies working in the Albertine region to combine efforts and equip the abandoned vocational institute to enable youths from the district to attain skills to work in the oil and gas industry.
The leaders were speaking at Kisomere Primary school in Ngwedu sub-county on Monday during the handover of startup kits for 104 project affected persons-PAPs under the Tilenga project being operated by TotalEnergies EP Uganda.
The Oil company availed the start up kits to the PAPs under the resettlement Action plan 1 (RAP 1) to enable them to start robust income-generating activities to sustain their livelihoods. The PAPs underwent training in various vocational skills with support from TotalEnergies EP Uganda.
Under the vocational training program, a needs assessment was carried out from the four villages under the resettlement Action Plan including Kisomere, Kirama, Kasenyi, and Kilima. RAP 1 covers land acquired for the Industrial area that will host the Central Processing Facility (CPF) for the Tilenga project, which affected 623 people.
The PAPs underwent eight different vocational training courses that include catering, tailoring, Automotive mechanics, Hair dressing, welding, plumbing, driving skills and motorcycle mechanics. Speaking at the event, Mariam Nampeera Mbowa, the Deputy General manager TotalEnergies EP Uganda, said that the Oil giant is conscious of its responsibility to support the economic upliftment of the Tilenga host community and most especially the PAPs.
Stephen Byaruhanga, the Buliisa Resident District Commissioner tasked the PAPs that have benefited from the vocational training to jealously guard the start up kits and put them to good use to transform their lives.
Charles Ofoyuru, one of the PAPs who underwent a three-month training in tailoring, said that the training will help him start up a business that will in future boost his household income.
Rogers Tumuhaise, another PAP, said the vocational skills acquired are crucial and will help him to look after his family appropriately in the future.
The PAPs recieved training at St. Simon Vocational training college, Millennium Business school, Prestige driving school, Christian driving school, and Buhimba technical institute in Hoima city and Kikuube district.
