Fortunes And Failures.

(From New Vision (Uganda) - AAGM)

Byline: Sylvia Juuko

IN a few hours, we will be ushering in a new year and turning our backs on 2006. A year that has, without doubt, been a mixed bag of fortunes and losses for businesses in Uganda, writes Sylvia Juuko

Like the previous years, the power deficit that has widened to more than 120 megawatts during peak hours has resulted in heavy loadshedding.

While the Government has fast-tracked the commissioning of thermal power generators to bridge the power deficit and also given diesel tax relief to some manufacturers, not all businesses have benefited.

Noel Meier, chief of MTN, recently summed up the woes that businesses have faced in 2006.

"The lack of steady and regular power supply is crippling the growth of every single business in the country," he said. "I appreciate that the Government has given relief to manufacturers but I would like them to pay similar attention to institutions like banks, telecommunications providers and other companies that operate from multiple …