Mid North Hosts GTZ Uganda rural electrification project team
On the 9th December 2008, Mid North Private Sector Development company hosted a team of officers from GTZ Rural Electrification Project. The team was by Mr Lucius Mayer – Tasch, the Project Officer. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Julius Peter Moto, the CEO. In attendance were Mr. Reinhold Hoernle of DED and Mr. Ajuna of GTZ Field office in Lira. The meeting discussed possibilities of Mid north playing some critical capacity building roles such as training, publicity and information for the GTZ funded project in Lango sub region.
The baseline is that the economy of mid north area is returning to full throtle after more than 10 years of the armed conflict which saw many people being forced out of their farmlands to Internally Displaced peoples camps. Rural Households are unable to afford the main power grid. However, there are increased use of mini solar panels for productive uses such as mobile phone charging. The cost of acquiring solar panels are still prohibitive. There are no private suppliers of solar panels in the area nor are there any financing mechanism in place.
The team then proceeded to visit Centenary Rural Development Bank Branch in Lira and the new Uganda Microfinance Limited based on the recommendation of Mid North. All in all, a small pilot project is foreseen in 2009 after an MOU is signed betwee Mid north and GTZ on the subject.
