The Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury (PSST), Ramathan Ggoobi, has undertaken a series of high-level field visits to major national development projects, reaffirming the government’s commitment to driving industrialisation, value addition, and improved service delivery across the country.
Lubowa International Specialised Hospital Now 68% Complete
On Friday, Ggoobi inspected the ongoing construction of the International Specialised Hospital of Uganda (ISHU) in Lubowa, describing the works as “steady and encouraging.” The state-of-the-art medical facility, designed to offer advanced specialised services, is now 68% complete.
Ggoobi urged the consultant and contractors to accelerate the pace of work so Ugandans can begin benefiting from world-class medical services locally. “This project must be completed on schedule. Ugandans deserve access to high-quality specialised healthcare without having to travel abroad,” he said.
The hospital is expected to significantly reduce medical referrals abroad and enhance the country’s capacity for complex medical procedures.
Sino-Uganda Mbale Industrial Park
Earlier in the week, the PSST—together with officials from the Ministry of Trade and senior Treasury technocrats—visited the Sino-Uganda Mbale Industrial Park to address lingering challenges affecting operations.
The delegation, received by Tian Tang Group Chairman Paul Zhang, reviewed issues raised under a directive from President Yoweri Museveni.
Ggoobi assured investors that the government is fast-tracking three critical interventions: construction of a drainage channel to resolve recurrent flooding, establishment of a mobile power substation to guarantee reliable electricity and development of key road infrastructure within the park.
“We are going to support you fully to address the infrastructure challenges in the industrial park,” Ggoobi said, reaffirming the government’s prioritisation of industrialisation as the engine for socio-economic transformation.
The team also discussed integrating skilling centres within industrial parks, increasing the use of local raw materials, boosting exports, and expanding access to regional and global markets.
Chairman Zhang revealed that the industrial park currently employs 12,000 people and that Tian Tang Group has diversified into real estate and tourism. He emphasised the urgency of constructing the drainage system to permanently curb flooding.
Soroti Fruit Factory Set for USD 30 Million Expansion
Ggoobi also visited Soroti Fruits Ltd, where he announced a USD 30 million expansion and modernisation plan for the fruit-processing facility. The upgrade is being undertaken in partnership with a management firm from Ethiopia.
The expansion, expected to take two years once construction begins, will introduce advanced processing technology, automatic bottling and packaging lines, multi-fruit processing capabilities, as well as organic fertiliser and animal feed production units.
Ggoobi said the factory is transforming the economic fortunes of the Teso sub-region by promoting value addition and creating stable market opportunities for farmers. “The factory is changing the destiny of this region. We are committed to scaling up its capacity and ensuring it becomes fully competitive,” he noted.
TsegaMariam Tesfaye, Chief Commercial Officer at Soroti Fruits Ltd, thanked the government and President Museveni for supporting the partnership with Ethiopia, which she said has improved efficiency and strengthened the factory’s performance.
The PSST’s tour underscores the government’s continued focus on industrialisation, agro-processing, and infrastructure development as the backbone of Uganda’s economic transformation agenda.
