Potholes eat up Lira access road
Bumpy. A motorcyclist dodges potholes on Olwol Road in Lira Town. PHOTO BY FRANK JEAN OKOT
What you need to know:
- Town clerk Assy Abirebe recently told this newspaper that Lira Municipal Council had received Shs55 billion from the World Bank to fund the construction of 12 roads in the area.
- USMID, which was first launched in 2013, currently enhances the institutional performance of 14 municipal local governments countrywide, to improve urban service delivery.
LIRA. Road users have expressed concern over the poor state of Olwol Road in Lira Town.
Potholes are gradually eating away the busy road that stretches from All Nations Corner connecting Kwania Road via Lira Bus Park.
Residents claim the potholes that have peppered most portion of the road, have made the Olwol Road almost impassable.
The road is key because it serves motorists and passengers travelling from within Lira Municipality and the neighbouring districts such as Alebtong, Abim and Otuke to access Lira Bus Park.
Mr Walter Okello, a boda boda rider, said several accidents have occurred on Olwol Road.
“Just last week, a pregnant woman who was riding on a bicycle fell down after hitting a pothole,” he said.
A motorcycle mechanic, Mr Benson Okullu, said the road is in a sorry state and that those using it are at risk.
District leaders have, however, said the World Bank has approved additional funding for road construction in Lira Town under the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) project.
The acting municipal engineer, Mr Freddie Owiny, recently said plans were underway to develop and design Boundary, Obangakene, Independence, Lumumba-Ogengo, Jackson Oyuku, Ayer and Teso Bar roads in 2018/2019 financial year.
So far, Obote Avenue, Oyam, Oyite Ojok Lane, Aroma Lane and Rwot Aler roads have been constructed, he said, adding that engineering design of Boundary, Olwol, Obangakene and Noteber roads has also been done with support from USMID.
“We are fully committed to doing our best, both as technical officers and political leaders of the municipality and are determined to change the face of Lira for the better without fear or favour,” Mr Mike Ogwang Olwa- Veve, the Lira mayor, said.
On May 17, President Yoweri Museveni commissioned Obote Avenue, one of the three roads constructed in Lira Town central business district under USMID.
The other roads are Soroti and Kwania roads. The three roads measuring 2.8 kilometres were constructed at a cost of Shs21.4 billion.
Town clerk Assy Abirebe recently told this newspaper that Lira Municipal Council had received Shs55 billion from the World Bank to fund the construction of 12 roads in the area.
The roads to be constructed in this three under USMID’s infrastructural development plan are the Boundary, Olwol, Obangakene, Note Ber, Oyam, Wonyaci, Ojwang Opota, Ogwang Edola, Agoro, Ayer, Teso Bar/ Corner Kamdini, Post Office, Bala, Aputi and Inomo.
The project
USMID, which was first launched in 2013, currently enhances the institutional performance of 14 municipal local governments countrywide, to improve urban service delivery.
The beneficiary municipalities are Lira, Gulu, Soroti, Arua, Mbale, Jinja, Mbarara, Masaka, Entebbe, Fort Portal, Kabale, Moroto, Tororo and Hoima.
The six-year project is expected to expand urban infrastructure and enhance the capacity of the 14 beneficiary municipalities to generate own revenues, improve urban planning, and strengthen financial management, procurement, environmental and social systems.
