Locals dismantle water pipes over stalled project
Locals dismantle water pipes over stalled project
What you need to know:
- Vambeco Company constructed the Alwi Dry Corridor water project.
Upon completion, more than 200 people were connected to piped water at the promotion fee of Shs50,000.
That time, 186 people paid connection fee but currently no water is flowing in their pipes. - The design of Alwi Dry Corridor was by gravity flow. But the ministry says the project failed due to design errors.
Nebbi. More than 300 frustrated residents in four villages of Parwath, Payera Okio, Oweko Centre and Payera Ayei in Oweko Parish, Nebbi District have dismantled water pipes installed by the government two years ago.
Oweko Parish is one of the sub-counties that was earmarked to benefit from Alwi Dry Corridor gravity flow scheme water project under the Ministry of Water and Environment.
Other sub-counties included Ndhew, Atego, Nyaravur, Alwi, Pakwach and Panyango.
Two years later after the pipes were installed to extend water to people’s homes, they are non-functional.
The project has since been abandoned by the ministry officials with no signs of recommencing.
One of the community members, Ms Forasica Acanda, 70, said they were asked to pay some money as reconnection fees to get piped water.
“Having sold my goat to pay connection fees, I expected to get water immediately but nothing has been done since 2016. I want government to refund my money with interest,” Ms Acanda said on Monday.
She said they are overwhelmed by the number of people that camp at the only borehole in their community and spend more than two hours queuing for water.
The LC2 chairperson of Oweko Parish, Mr Godfrey Manano, said the locals attempted to lynch the area councillor, Ms Yanijo Gabi, who at the initiation of the project, was used by Nebbi District water office to collect money for piped water connection which are non-functional.
“It is true that the chaotic residents stormed the water tank reservoir and wanted to remove the tank since they have not received water for two years,” he said.
The District Water Officer, Ms Evelyn Wanican, said: “Oweko has a design error that is why they do not receive water and a team of engineers from the ministry will assess and review the design in order to fix the problem.”
