Joy as Atiak road works begin
A worker directs traffic as a grader opens up a section of Atiak-Laropi road whose construction kicked off last Friday.
PHOTO/ SCOVIN ICETA
What you need to know:
Mr Levi Okello, the project manager at Uganda National Road Authority (Unra), said the Atiak-Laropi road will be upgraded from gravel to class II bitumen standard with a carriageway width of 7m and 2.0m wide shoulders on either side
Residents of Amuru and Adjumani districts have welcomed the start of works on the 66km Atiak–Laropi road, saying it will boost trade in the area.
Government has secured a Shs235b loan from the European Union for the project whose construction was flagged off last Friday.
The road connects Amuru and Adjumani to the South Sudan border. It runs through the trading centres of Dzaipi and Pakelle, and Adjumani Town up to Omi Landing Site on River Nile.
Mr Richard Eberu, a resident of Pachara Sub-county, Adjumani District, said the road has been in a bad state.
“Vehicles would get stuck in mud, blocking business. At last the government has remembered us after years of appealing for its construction. This achievement has gone down in history,” he said at the weekend.
Another resident in the area, Ms Grace Adania, said traders will now transport their produce with ease.
“I have made losses as a result of the bad road. Perishables get destroyed along the way. I hope the timeframe for the construction of the road will be honoured because people have suffered a lot on this road.”
Mr Levi Okello, the project manager at Uganda National Road Authority (Unra), said the Atiak-Laropi road will be upgraded from gravel to class II bitumen standard with a carriageway width of 7m and 2.0m wide shoulders on either side.
“The project road will increase connectivity of a number of northern districts to the national road network,” Mr Okello said.
Mr Allan Ssempebwa, the media relations manager at Unra, said the road is part of the bigger Development Initiative for Northern Uganda (DINU) programme that is being funded by European Union. He explained that the government of Uganda has contributed in terms of land acquisition and compensation of affected land owners.
“We expect works to be completed within the project period and quality works by the contractor (Stabag). The project will contribute towards improving trade along the corridor thus improving transport services and agricultural productivity by connecting remote and disadvantaged districts to the main road network,” he said.
Mr Peter Data, the Adjumani Resident District Commissioner, said: “Priority should be given to the locals to do the jobs. This will make the local community benefit and also own the project.”
