Arua City MP Candidate Pledges Cottage Industry For Ayivu West Constituency

ARUA: With the 2026 general elections approaching, Hon. Bernard Atiku, the Parliamentary candidate for Ayivu West Constituency in Arua City, has promised to establish a cottage industry to transform local livelihoods through value addition and small-scale manufacturing.

Speaking at a campaign rally on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, at Aripezu Primary School grounds in his home village, Atiku highlighted the recent extension of the national electricity grid as a key opportunity for economic empowerment.

He noted that the 33 KV low-voltage line would enable increased production and processing activities at the grassroots level.

“With the national grid reaching this village and the 33 KV line in place, people can engage in production and processing,” Atiku said. 

“This is how cottage industries will thrive right here in my village,” he emphasized identifying local raw materials for processing into finished or semi-finished products for local, city-wide, regional, and international markets. 

The initiative aims to create jobs, foster self-reliance, and boost entrepreneurial growth among youth and women in Ayivu West.

Atiku pledged to mobilize technical and financial support to ensure the sustainability of these small-scale industries, making them a cornerstone of his campaign and future agenda. 

“Our focus is on leveraging local raw materials, processing them, and identifying viable industries,” he added.

Cottage industries—small-scale, home-based manufacturing businesses—are seen to boost rural economies, particularly in areas rich in agricultural and natural resources.

Residents have welcomed Atiku’s promise, expressing hope for income generation and local employment. 

Many believe the initiative could bridge the development gap in Ayivu West, which has long faced underinvestment and limited industrial growth.Angutoko Denis, a voter in Ayivu West, urged Atiku to address infrastructure challenges, particularly in underserved wards.

“We visited Komite yesterday, and there’s no electricity in some areas. The roads and bridges, like the one near Radio Pacis, are in poor condition. These are critical for community income,” Denis said.

Similarly, Michael Dramadri, an elder and voter in Ayivu West, stressed the need for voter education to combat poverty through economic initiatives like cottage industries and cocoa farming. 

“Poverty is rampant. We need to educate voters to choose wisely and prioritize economic activities, roads, and electricity. These issues should be raised in Parliament,” he said.

Hon. Bernard Atiku, a former two-term MP for Ayivu County (2011–2021), is known for advocating rural electrification, land registration, and agriculture. Initially elected under the FDC, he joined the NRM in 2020. 

He has sponsored key child protection laws and now campaigns to industrialize Ayivu West through cottage industries and cocoa farming.