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Amolatar flood situation dire, says govt
Residents use a canoe to cross a flooded section of a road in Amolatar District in July 2021. Several sub-counties in the district have been affected by floods due to the rising water levels in Lake Kyoga. PHOTO/ BILL OKETCH.
What you need to know:
- Ms Juliet Ayo Okwir, the district disaster preparedness committee chairperson, said all the affected households are in dire need of shelter and food in relation to the support the district recently received from the OPM.
The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) has said the situation of people affected by floods in Amolatar District in northern Uganda is dire.
Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja reassured the population hard-hit by the floods that the government would continue supporting them.
A team from OPM and Ministry of Health led by the premier last Saturday carried out assessments in sub-counties badly affected by the floods to ensure continuous flow of necessary relief aid.
“We have seen people in camps, a community that has been cut off completely…We are now about to reopen schools but that community will not have access to the other side where the schools are. I am now a witness that floods have affected you,” Ms Nabbanja said.
Dr Simon Aliga, the Amolatar District health officer, earlier told Daily Monitor that floods had cut off three sub-counties of Nalibwoyo, Etam and Acii h.
“So, the challenge we are facing here is that if health workers want to cross to the other side to offer services to people, or even for the people to cross to the health centres, they have to part with about Shs1,000 to board canoes,” Dr Aliga said.
The Prime Minister said: “I pledge two engine boats to help sub-counties that have been cut off by floods so that those people can cross. I pledge two boats and they will be coming soon because I have that budget.”
She also said the three newly-created sub-counties and one town council in Amolatar that have not been budgeted for under this financial year would be considered in the next financial year.
Ms Nabbanja reassured the people of Lango that the Dokolo- Amolatar Road would be tarmacked in the 2024/2025 Financial Year.
Mr Moses Junior Okot B’tek, the Kioga County MP, had asked government to upgrade Namasale-Dokolo Road to ease inter-district travel.
At least 6,217 households in Amolatar have been affected by floods caused by the rising water levels on Lake Kyoga since 2019.
At least seven sub-counties in the district have been affected by the disaster. They include Nalibwoyo, Acii Awelo, Etam, Arwotcek, Agwingiri, and Akwon.
Akwon Sub-county was also hosting some people displaced by floods from the neighbouring Kwania District.
Data from the district disaster department shows that the number of crops destroyed per acreage stands at 6,733. These include traditional crops such as millet, maize, simsim, and beans.
Also, at least 3,187 households are in need of farm inputs and the number of households in need of access roads is 3,161.
This is because some major roads have been rendered impassable after being cut off by the floods.
However, 4,106 of the 6,217 households currently affected by floods in Amolatar are in dire need of food relief and shelter.
Ms Juliet Ayo Okwir, the district disaster preparedness committee chairperson, said all the affected households are in dire need of shelter and food in relation to the support the district recently received from the OPM.
Ms Beatrice Anywar Atim, the Minister of State for Environment, appealed to the community to plant more trees in order to combat the effects of climate change.
