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Shs1.8b Amuru roadworks stall as UWA blocks project
The Shs1.8 billion road construction is being undertaken by Davrich Construction Company under the Project for the Restoration of Livelihood in the Northern (PRELNOR). FILE PHOTO
What you need to know:
- Issue. Authorities say Uganda Wildlife Authority asked for an Environmental Impact Assessment report since the road passes through a game reserve.
- Mr Lakony said he wrote to UWA and Ministry of Local Government on December 18, 2019, but he is yet to receive a response.
A 13.8Km road construction project linking Bombay- Te- Okutu to Kampala Landing Site in Amuru Sub-county, Amuru District has stalled since December.
This follows concerns by Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) that no environmental impact assessment (EIA) report was provided by the Amuru District authorities for the road that stretches from Amuru to East Madi Game Reserve in Adjumani District.
The Shs1.8 billion road construction is being undertaken by Davrich Construction Company under the Project for the Restoration of Livelihood in the Northern (PRELNOR).
Davrich was contracted to do the roadworks in six months but it has since stalled.
Mr Michael Lakony, the Amuru District chairperson, told Daily Monitor yesterday that several attempts to contact UWA over the issue have not yielded fruit.
Mr Lakony said he wrote to UWA and Ministry of Local Government on December 18, 2019, but he is yet to receive a response.
“The EIA report was handed to UWA in December last year, but there is no feedback yet. There are already worries that the funds might be recalled since they are not utilised,” Mr Lakony said.
“Nema carried out the environmental impact assessment, last year before anything could be carried out but we wonder why UWA, has remained a stumbling block to us,” he wondered.
He said the road that links residents of Kololo and Kampala landing site is aimed at boosting food production and access to markets.
“The road will ease transportation of foodstuffs to those working in Madhvani Sugar Factory once the construction and production starts in the area,’’ he said
The district chairperson said they are counting losses as the contractor is accusing them of breach of contract.
He added that if the money is not utilised it will become hard to eradicate poverty.
“The government is trying improve household incomes through better road network that is geared towards economic empowerment,’’ he said.
Progress
The Amuru District engineer, Mr Raymond Luwita, said by the time the road construction was halted 25 to 30 per cent of the work had been done.
“We are working around the clock to see that the issues are resolved. The district chairperson is spearheading the move and we know, we shall resolve the matter,’’ he said.
Mr Luwita said the contractor had been scheduled to do the work from March to December 2019 but was first disrupted by heavy rain before UWA raised the assessment report issue.
The UWA spokesperson, Mr Bashir Hangi, told Daily Monitor that for any development to take place in the game reserve, the EIA should be submitted to National Environment Authority (Nema) for evaluation.
“If they have submitted it to Nema, may be it’s still under scrutiny. I am not aware of the road project that stretches to East Madi Game reserve that has been stopped by Nema but if so, EIA has to be carried out and a report given to Nema for a go ahead,’’ he said.
He added: “ Whenever we are doing any business in the game reserve, we carry out EIA.”
The Amuru Chief Administrative Officer, Mr Onyono Omonda, said he is one month old in the office and has not been briefed on the matter.
Other roads under Restoration of Livelihood in the Northern project being construction in Amuru are Kidimon- Aoetoc, (12.08Km), Lacmon- Kilak hills Apaa, (38.5Km), Giragira- Oticci, (7.8Km) and pylamot-Coorom (7.8 Km).
