MP to introduce Local Content Bill

liament

Kasanda North legislator Patrick Nsamba was on Feb.24 granted leave of parliament to introduce a private members bill on local content.

The bill according to Nsamba seeks to address issues of job creation through use of local expertise, value addition and also provides for the establishment of the National Local Content Committee responsible for developing local content plans and coordination of activities where public funds are used.

He said most of the major projects involving large chunks of money are awarded to foreigners pointing out that in just one sector of transport, no Ugandan company benefited from the major contracts awarded under the category of grants and loans during the last five years. 91% of contracts were given to Chinese companies, about 4% given to Israeli companies and others to Portuguese, Japanese and South Korean companies. Bukoto South’s Muyanja Mbabali who seconded the Motion said that the with Local Content legislation, the country will not only have capacity to build local companies but the tax base will be widened and more jobs will create.

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editor@independent.co.ug