UGANDA, Soroti | Real Muloodi News | Uganda continues to face a housing deficit, with a growing demand for housing units and rising costs of construction materials.
To address this issue, locally manufactured building materials must play a crucial role. This is the view of Mr George Arodi, CEO of Uganda Baati, who stresses the importance of ensuring sustained improvement in the quality and production capacity of construction materials.
Uganda’s households are projected to grow from 2.9 million in 2020 to 3.8 million by 2025, due to population growth and urbanisation.
Mr Arodi believes that the production of construction materials must be improved to meet this growing demand.
“Locally manufactured building materials are vital in increasing local housing construction demand to service the growing population and rapid urbanisation,” Mr Arodi said.
However, the construction material industry in Uganda is not without its challenges. Counterfeits and substandard products have become a widespread problem, which Mr Simon Edoru, Soroti District Chairperson, views as a threat that requires a collective effort to combat.
The recent launch of the Uganda Baati showroom in Soroti is aimed at addressing this issue, offering a platform for high-quality building materials.
“The [showroom] will help us to overcome the problem of counterfeits that we have been experiencing for long,” he said.
Soroti has recently been upgraded to a city, presenting several opportunities, particularly in the construction sector.
The Deputy Lord Mayor of Soroti City, Ms Juliet Ipagi, predicts that Soroti City will see rapid development in the coming years, presenting an opportunity for players in the construction material and product value chain.
To effectively solve the housing deficit in Uganda, locally manufactured building materials of high quality and capacity must be prioritised.
The industry must work together to eliminate counterfeits and promote skilled construction to ensure quality end products.
The potential for growth in the construction sector in Soroti City, combined with efforts to improve the quality and production of building materials, offers a promising solution to the ongoing housing deficit in Uganda.
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