The Minister for Presidency, Hon. Babirye Milly Babalanda has implored stakeholders to work hand in hand to revive the distinguished legacy of the Uganda Printing and Publishing Corporation (UPPC), one of the oldest government institutions that was established way back in 1902.
“This institution’s longevity is testament to its enduring relevance and vital contribution to our nation. UPPC emerged from a humble beginning as a government printer during the colonial days and now it is moving to become a blooming technological powerhouse, embracing the latest advancements in the printing industry,” Hon. Babalanda said.
The Minister made the remarks today as she officiated at the launch of UPPC’s Transcendent Five-Year Strategic Plan (2023-2028), at an event held at Esella Hotel Najjera, Kampala.
The plan’s focal points are the augmentation of value through enhanced corporate governance, customer excellence, and streamlined business processes.
“I am briefed that the strategic plan highlights UPPC’s focus on national aspirations such as; industrialization, the Buy Uganda Build Uganda (BUBU) initiative and fostering meaningful employment opportunities. This is a welcome objective because it positions the UPPC to be a catalyst for economic growth and social advancement,”she said.
The Minister also extended her special gratitude to the Government Ministries, Agencies, and Departments and private companies that have continually supported the corporation through various printing projects.
“The recurring business is testament to the capacity and quality that the corporation has built to meet its clients’ needs. With this new strategic plan, our focus will increasingly be aligned to elevate service delivery by embracing new frontiers of digital platforms,” she explained.
“At this juncture I take special recognition of the efforts that have gone into this process by the strategic planning committee members, the management team, the staff and the stakeholders. Thank you for the commitment and effort to the planning process and for your interest in seeing this strategic plan through to its conclusion.”
Hon. Babalanda revealed that the process has been immensely beneficial to the UPPC as a learning curve especially from evaluating and scrutinizing the position of the corporation and the direction it intends to take.
“The lessons in innovation, ICT and capacity development are indeed to be taken with both hands from this process. I am therefore here to add my voice to the transformations taking place at the UPPC; but also to challenge you to effectively and maximally utilize the assets already acquired which are intended to position the UPPC as a world-class printer at the highest standards of quality.”
Relatedly, the Minister noted that the government’s joint venture with the German Consortium of Veridos underscores a new era, enabling the printing of security documents such as passports, driving permits, and land titles.
“Under the collaboration with the Uganda Security Printing Company (USPC), UPPC will definitely transform the printing and publishing industry in Uganda,”she said.
The Minister was also optimistic that the successful implementation of this strategic plan will scale UPPC to greater heights, improve internal systems and usher in an era of transformation.
“I cannot end without thanking the Board of UPPC and the Managing Director, who are promoting teamwork and giving hope to the UPPC staff. One of the biggest challenges the UPPC has had in the past is the issue of disunity and lack of trust amongst staff. This is now being handled with good results,” Hon. Babalanda asserted.
“I call upon the Board to offer more time and support to the Managing Director and his team to make the necessary transformations uninterrupted. In many Organizations, the Boards; due to selfish interests, are responsible for failing Management. I am happy we have an excellent team of the Board who are making things happen. As your supervisor, I will work to ensure that we do not fail.”
Mr. Joachim Buwembo, the Chairperson of the UPPC Board of Directors, unveiled an ambitious blueprint aimed at revolutionising lacklustre publishing and printing services along Nasser Road and throughout Uganda, all in the pursuit of elevating customer satisfaction.
Nasser Road, a bustling thoroughfare in Uganda’s capital, is renowned for its budget-friendly printing services. However, it has long been mired in notoriety for subpar quality and the production of counterfeit documents.
In response to this shortfall, Mr. Buwembo pointed out that the substandard printing and publishing services on Nasser Road stem from a dearth of adequate training for those employed in these print shops.
He affirmed that UPPC will orchestrate numerous training sessions and seminars, both domestically and abroad, at a nominal expense, to professionalise the personnel on Nasser Road, ensuring the delivery of standardised services.
“The individuals on Nasser Road stepped in to fill a void, arising from the absence of formal training. They are essentially learning on the job. UPPC’s role is to connect you, the client visiting Nasser Road, with a skilled professional,” elucidated Mr. Buwembo.
“So automatically once the training services approach and brought near to them at a relatively low fee, they will come and study, you the client will just be pulled to a better service provider,” he affirmed.
Addressing attendees at the event, the Managing Director for UPPC Prof. Sudi Nangoli eloquently unveiled the pivotal strategies for the Corporation’s triumphant journey.
Enveloping itself in the embrace of cutting-edge technology, he proclaimed that the corporation aspires to infuse 80% of its product offerings with digital prowess by the year 2026, harmoniously aligning with the national digitization roadmap.
Moreover, he articulated that forging partnerships with sustainability-centric clientele would be the linchpin, fostering both ecological preservation and fiscal resilience.
With fervour, Prof. Nangoli extolled the astutely devised strategies for procuring inputs in prodigious quantities, a move he believed would fortify market competitiveness, whittle down operational expenditure, and stoke the fires of efficiency.
He divulged that UPPC is embarking on a journey of diversity, venturing into complementary domains like scholastic materials, and broadening its horizons in publishing, all while extending its footprint in the market.
He championed the G-A-B-I-R-O framework (Gazette, Aggregation of UPPC products and services, Books, ICT, Reports, and Online) as the lodestar for UPPC’s strategic deployment.
This master plan, he said, lays down unequivocal strategies across four pivotal vantage points: delivering impeccable customer service, augmenting organisational prowess, fine-tuning business processes, and meticulously minding financial considerations.
The launch of UPPC’s Strategic Plan (2023-2028) signifies the dawn of a new era marked by innovation, sustainability, and a commitment to excellence in printing and publishing services.
Organised under the auspices of UPPC, this occasion garnered substantial attendance from pivotal stakeholders in the printing and publishing sphere, including representatives from Uganda Security Printing Company (USPC), Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries (MAAIF), delegates from the Central Government, and representatives from the Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC), along with other esteemed guests whose presence was instrumental in deliberating the pertinent matters at hand.
The event launch revolved around the theme: “Elevating Value through Enhanced Corporate Governance, Customer Excellence, and Streamlined Business Processes”, emblematic of UPPC’s unwavering dedication to upholding the pinnacle of corporate governance, bestowing superlative service upon clients, and optimising internal operations for maximal efficiency.
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