National labour taskforce to improve productivity in Uganda launched

In an effort to address low labour productivity in Uganda, Ministry of Gender and Labour has launched a national task force on labour productivity enhancement.

The team that comprises officials from labour unions, employers, ministries and agencies will be mandated to carry out labour surveys country wide.

Permanent Secretary James Ebitu says available human capital reports such as manpower survey, labour force surveys and capacity needs assessment in the oil and gas recognise that Uganda has human resources that are underdeveloped. The report also highlights that the country has human resources that lack positive mind set towards work, appropriate technology, skills and capital.

"Uganda is regarded as one of the countries with abundant natural resources and good climate but it has not attained economic takeoff as envisaged in Vision 2040.This is partly attributed to low levels of labour productivity, high dependence on subsistence agriculture among others," Ebitu said.

Gender Minister Janat Mukwaya inaugurating the task force said unemployment, under employment and low labour productivity in Uganda has been partly caused by absence of a functional national productivity system.

The national task force will generate information on sectoral labour productivity, evaluate labour productivity enhancement strategies and propose solutions for low productivity and provide guidelines on development of industry productivity plans.

She further said the team will take lead in advocating for functional national productivity centre, fostering cooperation between the private sector and government.

"It is my sincere hope that once the national task force has undertaken its tasks effectively and efficiently we will be able to register progress towards achieving the upper middle in one status," Mukwaya said.

She advised the new taskforce to carry out country wide baseline survey and studies to document Labour productivity in the country saying this help the country come out with labour productivity challenges and address them.

Coftu Chairman General Turyamureeba Milton welcomed the initiative saying this will improve labour productivity in this country.

"Labour Productivity in Uganda is low. With this task force in place every we expect all labour challenges efficiently improved but task force should address all mind set and cultures to pursue critical skills gaps," he said.

"We need to find out why Ugandans are lazy why employers want foreigners and the habits of our people dispising jobs should stop but also our curriculum should be improved and much emphasise be put on technical skills training," he added.

He anticipated that the new task force will bring lasting solutions to low labour productivity in the country.