NYAGATARE — The Private Sector Federation (PSF) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nyagatare District that will see the two entities work hand-in-hand to develop the district.

The MoU was signed between PSF chairman, Faustin Mbundu, and the Mayor, Fred Atuhe Sabbiti, during a consultative meeting between PSF and traders in the district.

Speaking at the meeting, Mbundu said that the agreement aims at forging a long-term partnership between the private sector and local government to facilitate operations of private individuals.

"The government is the centre of all development activities and it cannot do anything without working with private individuals. We want to use this partnership to further develop our country,” he said.

He called on traders in the district to diversify products, saying that a wider market outside the country has been discovered.

"The government, through partnership with PSF, offered a plane that will help local traders who want to export their products to the East African countries and Congo Brazzaville. You need to exploit this market,” said Mbundu.

In a separate interview, PSF said that such consultative meetings with local traders would be carried out across the district.

"Part of this meeting was our commitment to decentralise the private sector to the local levels. We want to strengthen Business Development Services (BDS) to make a follow up on traders’ operations,” he said.

The Mayor thanked PSF and made a commitment to work with them.

"As a district, we take traders and other private individuals as opinion leaders. They help us in many development aspects, we remind them to always approach us whenever they want any service,” he said.

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