By Reporter
With the COVID-19 pandemic having many resort to virtual meetings as a way of curbing the spread of the disease, NBS Television over the weekend partnered with UBC TV to broadcast an e-Conference on skilling small-scale and middle-scale businesses in Uganda after the COVID-19 pandemic, hosted by Samson Kasumba and Maurice Mugisha. This was organized in conjunction with the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU).
The e-Conference boasted high-calibre speakers such as Elly Karuhanga – the founding partner Kampala Associated Advocates and Chairman PSFU, Mathias Katamba – the CEO DFCU Bank Uganda, Irene Kaggwa – the Acting ED of UCC, Victoria Sekitoleko and John Musinguzi – the ED URA, among others.
In summary, Elly Karuhanga called on Government to offer affordable internet for Ugandans so as to boost Small and Medium Enterprises in the country, while Mathias Katamba, the CEO DFCU Bank Uganda, highlighted to SMEs the cheap financial services available to them.
John Musinguzi highlighted that URA has tried to make sure the tax systems, laws and policies are kept simple and tailored to the needs of the small & medium ventures, going on to dispel the notion that the tax body taxes even companies that aren’t making profits, instead saying that it is their goal to not be the reason small businesses collapse.
Gideon Badagawa, the ED of PSFU, noted that SMEs need to come together as cooperatives because a singular company can’t access large funds from a bank, but that co-operatives can since they are big and organized.
Caroline Kavuma, a Lecturer at Kyambogo University, also encouraged parents to skill their children early, engage them in their interests, and embrace work and plan projects with them relating to productive life situations.
The e-conference that ran from 1pm to 6pm on Sunday was moderated by NBS TV’s senior news anchor Samson Kasumba, assisted by seasoned journalist Maurice Mugisha, and was streamed live via Zoom, Facebook and YouTube.
The e-Conference marks the 3rd of its kind that NBS Television have held, with another one, a 2-day UDC-UN Uganda organized one on the transformation of Uganda’s real economy amidst COVID-19 set to be held on Thursday and Friday (28th & 29th May) from 2 to 5pm on each day.
