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The plant located in Nyimwa, Bombo in Liwero is being operated Go Cylinder Uganda Ltd, who are also manufacturers of cookers, solar water heaters, fridges, and freezers.
A significant portion of the cylinders to be manufactured at this facility will be purchased by the government, to be distributed free of charge to the public in an initiative aimed at promoting the use of LGP gas as an eco-friendly alternative to firewood and charcoal.
The remaining cylinders will be made available for purchase by private fuel companies in Uganda and neighboring nations.
During the event, Minister Kaboyo expressed gratitude to the investors for selecting Luwero as the site for this plant. She expressed her delight in the prospect of Ugandan gas sourced from Bunyoro being stored in locally produced gas cylinders. These cylinders are being crafted from scratch right here at the factory.
Minister Kaboyo also emphasized that the government's initiative to provide gas cylinders for free will significantly encourage the use of clean energy by eliminating the cost barrier often faced by consumers.
The Ugandan government, through the Ministry of Energy, intends to distribute more than 1 million 13kg gas cylinders to households once LPG extraction commences in the Albertine region.
Minister Mwebesa echoed Hon Kaboyo's sentiments and emphasized that gas cylinders will be a more cost-effective alternative to biofuels like charcoal, which the government is committed to phasing out entirely.
However, Go Cylinder Managing Director Ali Tawfiq raised concerns about several challenges they've encountered, including the poor condition of the road leading to the factory. He expressed gratitude for the government's support but requested additional assistance, citing significant losses due to containers getting stuck on the challenging road.
Tawfiq also disclosed ongoing power interruptions from Umeme and delays in receiving promised tax breaks from President Museveni. Minister Kaboyo pledged to follow up on these issues to resolve them.
In response to the road conditions, Erastro Kibirango, the Luwero district chairman, revealed that the road falls under the district's jurisdiction, has been budgeted for, and work is scheduled to begin soon.
According to Mr. Tawfiq, the factory is already providing employment to over 70 local residents, with plans to double this number as they expand their operations, pending resolution of the current challenges by the government.