200 Chinese at Karuma lack work permits

Workers at the main access tunnel of the Karuma Hydro Power Project in Kiryandongo District recently. PHOTO BY NELSON WESONGA

KIRYANDONGO- A total of 200 Chinese nationals working on the Karuma Hydro Power Project don’t have work permits, the project manager, Mr Song Yijun, has said.

The workers who comprise foremen, managers, engineers and geologists are mainly using visitors’ permits, which Mr Song blamed on the Energy ministry as the latter has not written introduction letters for the workers.

“Immigration wants introduction letters from the ministry of Energy. So we are waiting for the letters,” Mr Song told Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited’s (UEGCL) board of directors on Tuesday in Kiryandongo District.

Government in July introduced a fixed Shs1.5m application fee for a work permit and increased the work permit fee from Shs3 million to Shs4.4 million to check the influx of ‘poor’ investors.

UEGCL’s board chairman Robert Isabalija said government is willing to address the matter.

“I have had a discussion with the Permanent Secretary in the ministry of Energy. He said any person that Sinohydro needs on the site will be cleared immediately,” Mr Isabalija said.

Mr Harrison Mutikanga, the UEGCL chief executive officer, said Sinohydro should address concerns that it might be using substandard material.

“The last time we visited your laboratory, there were indications that some of this cement you mix when you are preparing concrete was not meeting the standards.…” Mr Mutikanga said.

However, Mr Song said they used quality materials.

The Export Import Bank of China will lend Uganda $1.7 billion (about Shs6.2 trillion) to finance the 600 megawatt hydropower plant. The work is projected to be complete in 2018.