Wagagai Mining (U) Limited has handed over a newly constructed primary school in Busia District, pledging continued investment in education and other community projects beyond its gold mining operations.
The company on Friday officially inaugurated Alupe Primary School in Alupe Village, Mawero Parish, Buteba Subcounty, following the completion of the facility at a cost of $1.02 million.
The school has a construction area of 7,791.59 square metres and capacity to accommodate about 600 learners.
Wagagai also funded the reconstruction of St James Church of Uganda in the community as part of its broader community development initiatives.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, Wagagai general manager Tan Jiuchang said the company measures its success by more than gold production, arguing that its long-term contribution should also be reflected in the communities where it operates.
“For us, success is not measured only by how much gold we produce, but also by what we leave behind,” Tan said.
He said the company’s community programmes include building schools, extending clean water to four villages, improving roads and bridges, renovating housing and supporting vulnerable members of the community.
“We want Wagagai’s legacy in Uganda to be more than a modern gold mine; we want to leave behind advanced mining technology, highly skilled Ugandan professionals, and an integrated production chain covering mining, processing, smelting, and refining that proves mining can create lasting economic, social, and national value,” he said.
Tan said the company currently employs more than 2,000 Ugandans and is also investing in developing local skills.
The company’s public relations officer, Wafula Stephen, said the decision to fund the reconstruction of the school and church was aimed at improving both education and the welfare of the surrounding community.
“Wagagai decided to fully fund the reconstruction of both Alupe Primary School and St James Church of Uganda, so that our children could have a better learning environment, as well as a spiritual house,” Wafula said.
He said the handover should not be viewed as the end of the company’s engagement with the school.
“This handover is not the end of our partnership with Alupe Primary School. It is just the beginning of our long-term support,” he said.
Uganda Chamber of Energy and Minerals (UCEM) chief executive Humphrey Asimwe said the investment in education would have a more lasting impact than the life of a mining operation.
“Mines will take you 10 to almost 20 years and that will be the end of it. But education is everlasting; it is enduring,” Asimwe said.
He said Wagagai’s investment represented an attempt to create a lasting legacy for the community.
“What Wagagai has done here is say that we are investing in the future of this community forever and ever by investing in education,” he said.
Asimwe said Uganda has relatively few large-scale mining companies, making investments that benefit surrounding communities significant.
The Rt Rev Samuel George Bogere Egesa, who was the chief guest at the ceremony, urged residents to make effective use of the new facility to improve educational outcomes for children in the area.
“We must make use of this beautiful facility that has been put here so that our children can benefit,” Bishop Egesa said.
He said education would have a long-term impact on the community.
“With education you cannot go wrong; the impact will be long-lasting,” he said.
Busia District chairperson John Charles Namayindi said relations between the district authorities and Wagagai had improved under the current district leadership.
He pledged continued cooperation between the company and the district to support development in the area.
“As a district local government, we want to pledge to Wagagai Mining Company that we shall offer the political, social, and any other support that Wagagai will be desiring from Busia District to ensure that we move on and we move on systematically,” Namayindi said.
The head teacher of Alupe Primary School, Adengero Philipine, described the transformation of the school as a major achievement for the community.
“Alupe was a desert, a place with no teachers, no learners, and no finances, but today, we celebrate its transformation,” she said.
She thanked the office of the chief administrative officer for working with Wagagai to support the school.
Village chairperson Phillip Ekisa said the establishment of the school would bring education closer to children in the area and create opportunities for families.
“Today, the establishment of this school stands as a major milestone for our area, directly benefiting our children and families by bringing quality education closer to home,” Ekisa said.
Wagagai operates a gold mine in eastern Uganda and says its operations are complemented by investments in local skills development, community infrastructure and an integrated production chain covering mining, processing, smelting and refining.
