Shs1.5b government fisheries project lies idle after for eight years

Idle. Some of the abandoned drying fish ponds at Aqua Culture Research Development Centre in Gulu Town. PHOTO BY JULIUS OCUNGI

What you need to know:

Abandoned. The project site has over-grown grass, while the hatchery, standby generator, water heating system, among other facilities, largely remain unutilised.

Gulu. A government fisheries project in Laliya Parish, Laroo Division in Gulu District meant to benefit fish farmers in northern Uganda is lying idle.


In 2008, the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, with funding from African Development Bank (ADB) sunk Shs1.5 billion for the construction of Aqua Culture Research Development Centre, but it has been nonfunctional more than eight years after it was established.


The site, formerly called Laliya Fish Fry, has 24 fish ponds and a modern hatchery.
It was established to promote fisheries and research in aquaculture in the sub-region.
The Gulu District chairperson, Mr Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, told Daily Monitor in an interview that the centre is not functioning due to negligence by the Agriculture ministry.


He said the contractors meant to refurbish the centre abandoned the site prematurely.
The latest contractor to abandon the site is P&D Traders and Contractors LTD that was contracted in July 2015.
“The completion of the project has taken long for it to start benefiting the local fish farmers in the region. We have written several letters to the Minister for Agriculture, including the former minister Ruth Nankabirwa, but we haven’t got any response,” Mr Mapenduzi said.


He said fish farmers in the sub-region are greatly being affected by the non-functionality of the aqua centre.
“This site should have been a learning centre for fish farmers to enable them improve on fish farming but it’s not happening. Fish farming is no longer doing well in this region as anticipated,” Mr Mapenduzi said.


He tasked the government to intervene and complete the project to improve fish farming in northern Uganda.
The Gulu Resident District Commissioner, Capt Santos Okot, said the project is a waste of government money since it is redundant.


“Government injected Shs1.5 billion in the project but it is just lying idle without anyone from the Agriculture ministry paying attention to it. This is a waste of money,” Cpt Okot said.


When contacted for a comment on the matter, Mr John Peter Lanek, the district fishery officer, said he could not speak to the press without the permission of the Chief Administrative Officer.
Mr Francis Omona, a pond attendant at the site, said it has no electricity after it was disconnected due to unpaid power bills for the past years.


He also noted that the contractors dug shallow wells instead of deep ones, adding that incase the hatchery is to be operational, supply of water won’t be enough.


“In the dry season, the water dries up, there is no way you can pump water to the main tank to be supplied to the tanks in the hatchery,” Mr Omona said.
Ms Jacqueline Acayo, a farmer and resident of Laliya parish, told Daily Monitor that the project has failed to benefit fish farmers and locals in the sub-region.


“This is a complete waste of government resources. How can a place like this be left to rot for so many years without government’s attention?” she wondered.
The Agriculture minister, Mr Vincent Ssempija, when contacted, said government is working on the issue, insisting that agriculture is high on their agenda.


Mr Ssempija said he would travel to Gulu District next week with his team to visit the site and agree with the leadership on how best they can work on addressing their concerns.
“It is unfortunate that the concerns the leadership has been putting forward to the ministry were not taken care of. Agriculture is the front line issue the government is focusing on and this particular case will be worked on,” Minister Ssempija said.


Currently, the site has over grown grass, while the hatchery, standby generator, water heating system, regulatory tank, among other facilities, largely remain unutilised.

The project

Aqua Culture Research Development Centre, formerly called Laliya Fish Fry, has 24 fish ponds and a modern hatchery.
It was established to promote fisheries and research in aquaculture in the sub-region.

Voices

“The completion of the project has taken long for it to start benefiting the local fish farmers in the region. We have written several letters to the minister for Agriculture, including the former minister Ruth Nankabirwa, but we haven’t got any response,”
Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, Gulu District chairperson

“It is unfortunate that the concerns the leadership has been putting forward to the ministry were not taken care of. Agriculture is the front line issue the government is focusing on and this particular case will be worked on,”
Vincent Ssempija, agriculture minister