Makerere University has Tuesday, January 9, 2024, bid farewell to Ms. Elsie Attafuah, the outgoing United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative for Uganda.

Ms Attafuah was thanked for her contribution to Uganda, especially for her dedication to fostering innovation. This was during one of her last assignments in Uganda, where she commissioned the Makerere University Innovation Pod.

Makerere University Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe wished Attafuah the best in her next endeavours, saying it has been a pleasure working with her and hopes that her works will continue to progress in Uganda.

“We want to wish you all the best in the work that you do. We want to pray that God gives you the strength to continue doing Africa’s work with Passion. It has been a pleasure working with you, you are all dedicated people, doing your work professionally, and we hope that your work will continue,” he said.

Attafuah said, there is always a reward for those who do their work well, and that she has been rewarded with a promotion. She revealed that she has been posted to Nigeria and will influence investors in Nigeria to come and invest in Uganda.

“There is a reward. And that reward comes in terms of how you see the transformation agenda of the country, but also the reward that comes in terms of promotion. I should say, that moving from here, I have been promoted to Nigeria,” she said.

Attafuah also urged universities to champion innovation and job creation for the people, saying that Uganda is a rich country with money all over, yet Ugandans are still struggling with poverty and unemployment.

“We have a country in the continent that has so much, and when you walk here in Uganda, you are smelling money everywhere, yet our people are in poverty,” she said.

Ms. Elsie Attafuah has been in the country for about four years as the UNDP resident representative. She paid a courtesy call to President Museveni on Monday, who thanked her for the good work she has done in Uganda. 

It was during the visit that Attafuah told Museveni that UNDP had invested in an Innovation Pod at Makerere University before commissioning it the next day. Attafuah will be leaving the country in a fortnight.

Some material for this report was provided by Chimp Reports