How the Atiak-Laropi road is spurring devt

The Atiak-Laropi road via Adjumani Town, whose construction is nearing completion, has spurred development.

 The 66km road, which is funded by the European Union, is now at 85 percent completion.

 The director of Zawadi bus services, Mr Simon Majuru, says the enhanced road infrastructure has streamlined the transportation of goods and services, thereby cutting down on both costs and time. 

“In the past, we have been incurring a lot of loss on the road, in terms of damages to spare parts, our expenditure on repairs has reduced by 50 percent because of the improved road,” he says.

Mr Majuru adds: “...and business owners dealing in perishable goods were making losses due to damage of between 20 percent to 45 percent due to the bad roads. But now all these have been reduced.” 

The Laropi to Atiak route has been challenging for travellers, especially during rainy seasons when vehicles get stuck in mud, causing delays.

Mr Amajuru says the road, which connects to South Sudan via Kajo-keji , will foster the regional integration and the development of the East African Community.

Mr Denis Ocera, a taxi driver who plies  the Adjumani to Gulu City route, notes a surge in passenger vehicles on Atiak-Laropi road.

 “Before, less than 10 taxis were moving from Gulu to Adjumani but right now there are more than 50 vehicles all competing for the same passengers,” Mr Ocera says.

Mr Ocera says he now spends less on repairing his taxi.

 “At least I go to the garage after two to three weeks to do minor repairs. In the past, before the road was tarmacked, I used to go to the garage every two days and saving money was difficult,” he adds. 

 Mr David Iya, a businessman, who deals in hardware, says the sales in building materials have increased. 

 Mr Richard Akuku, a trader in Pakele Town Council, says: “The road has come with user benefits to us, lowering vehicle operation costs, we now get quick business turnaround. We realise the ease of the operation of logistics and travelling. These benefits have a trickle-down effect on us the traders.” 

Impact on small-scale farmers

Ms Margaret Masudio Eberu, the vice chairperson of the Eastern Southern African Small Scale Farmers Forum, says the development of efficient transportation routes stimulates economic activities in remote areas, facilitate trade and tourism, and strengthen regional integration.

 “The cost of production for our small-scale farmers has been exorbitant due to the bad roads in the past, but right now due to the good road, our farmers can travel to Kampala to buy good inputs at a reduced cost of transport,” Masudio states.

 According to Ms Korina Ondoa, the secretary for production and natural resources in Adjumani District Council, the road has enhanced connectivity, movement of goods and people, and promoted economic growth.

 “These days you get trucks coming from other districts of Masaka, Mbale, Kabale, and others that bring food produce,” he says.

 The project consultant, Mr Bernard Ocan, says: “The road has first class asphalt surface with two-metre shoulders, bridges and guardrails. This will enhance transportation.”

Unra’s take

The Uganda National Roads Authority station manager for Moyo District, Mr Julius Mwesigwa, is optimistic that  the road will improve trade with South Sudan.

“The road is being upgraded from gravel to class II bitumen standard with a carriageway width of seven  metres and two metres wide shoulders on either side. This will facilitate easy movement of goods,”  he says.

 The engineer further states that the contract was extended for another 18 months.

 According to the Medical Superintendent of Adjumani Hospital, Mr Michale Ambaku, better infrastructure enables easy access to healthcare facilities for both patients and medical personnel.

 “We make referrals to Lacor Hospital and Gulu Regional Referral Hospital or Mulago National Referral Hospital, and we get blood from Gulu Regional Blood Bank. In the past, we spent a lot of time on roads and lives were lost due to the delay but right now referrals and transportation of blood take little time and we can respond on time,” he says.

Mr Bul Gak Garang, the Refugee Welfare Councillor, says: “It has eased referrals. Whenever we get cases at night of sickness or any issue that requires police intervention, they can respond quickly due to the good roads.” 

The project

The  €53.8 million (about Shs217b) project is part of the development initiative for northern Uganda programme that is being funded by the European Union.

The government’s contribution is to acquire the land and compensate the land owners.

 The road traverses through Amuru and Adjumani districts on the Atiak–Moyo–South Sudan border. It also goes through the trading centres of Dzaipi, Pakelle, and Adjumani Town, and ends at Umi at the ferry landing site on River Nile. 

Under the project, 4 km of roads in towns will also be upgraded and streetlights installed.

The road construction was commissioned in September 2020 and was expected to end by September last year but the government extended the contract twice.