The Speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), Hon Daniel Fred Kidega has advised people within Acholi Sub-region to prioritize on education if they are to benefit from the East African regional integration.
Mr Kidega said as countries subscribing to the East African Community move towards a regional integration, many opportunities will open to people in the region but noted that they can only benefit if they are well educated.
“We see many vehicles move through our district transporting goods to the neighboring South Sudan yet ours don’t. We need to invest in education so that we can be able to identify business opportunities and start exporting our own products,” says Mr Kidega.
Mr Kidega made the remarks during a thanks giving ceremony organized after his December last year appointment as EALA speaker at Kaunda grounds in Gulu Municipality on Saturday.
The ceremony was graced by hundreds of Gulu residents, traditional, religious leaders and Political heads from within Uganda and members of the EALA.
Mr Kidega noted that through education, many doors for prosperous opportunities will open, “if it wasn’t for education, I would not have been appointed as the speaker of EALA. This is a testimony that once our people are educated, their lives can change and assume better positions,”
“I am advising the school going students and pupils within the region to study hard if their parents can still afford to pay the school fees, where the world has reached, many things can only be tackled through education,” adds Mr Kidega.
The speaker also tipped farmers in the region to utilize the regional integration prospective for marketing their products to other East African Countries in a bid to bring development in the once war ravaged northern region.
“There are so many products that are on demand in other countries outside Uganda, if you grow sim sim or ground nuts, you can sell the product in finished forms like sim sim paste or ground nut paste,” Mr kidega advised.
He added that his position as the EALA speaker is strategic arguing that he can influence many business deals that can help famers willing to improve their business beyond the Ugandan boundary.
If we cannot sell and export anything from the region beyond Ugandan border, then my position as the EALA speaker is useless, we need to work hard to improve our livelihoods, adds Mr Kidega.
Mr Kidega however in his conclusive message at the thanks giving ceremony applauded members of the EALA, the Ugandan government and Gulu residents for their support that has made him who he is today.
In a speech delivered by the Prime Minister, Dr Ruhakana Rugunda who represented President Museveni as the chief Guest, the president also echoed the need for prioritizing education to develop the country.
“I always argue that despite the little you earn, you must take your children to school. Education is the best insurance that you can give to your children,”
“Government has committed its self to give you the basics, Primary and secondary education is just the basics, but you must try to build on what the government provides to enable your children go beyond the basics,” says Mr Museveni.
He added that In order to rise beyond the horizon, one needs to do more than the basics, arguing Mr Kidega, has gone beyond the basics to attain his achievements.
Mr Museveni sent Shs 50 million as congratulatory offer to the EALA speaker that was handed over by Dr Rugunda.
Acholi Paramount Chief, David Onen Acana II lauded Mr Kidega for his great commitment at a tentative youthful stage that has earned him a position as EALA speaker and blessed him to work towards bringing regional unity.
Recently, following President Uhuru Kenyatta’s visit in the country, Kenya and
Uganda struck a deal to allow cheaper Ugandan sugar into the Kenyan market, ending the long-running feud over the trading of the commodity across their common border.
