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Bukedea leaders angry as Shs8b projects stall
Efforts. Bukedea leaders inspect Bukedea cattle market, one of the projects, on Tuesday. PHOTO BY GEORGE EMURON
What you need to know:
- Background. The cattle projects are funded by the World Bank through the ministry of Agriculture.
- However, more than a year later, only half of work has been done. For the cattle market, the paddock and cattle tracks were allegedly shoddily done, the solar system and the cattle weighing scale have not been put in place.
Five government projects worth Shs8 billion in Bukedea District have stagnated after the contractor failed to complete them despite full funding.
The projects include upgrading of the cattle market in Bukedea Town Council, construction of a cattle holding ground in Akuoro Parish, Bukedea Sub-county, and putting up a slaughter shed in Kachumbala Sub-county.
Others are the construction of two cattle crashes in Malera and Kidongole sub-counties.
The five projects, under the Regional Pastoral Livelihoods Resilience funded by the World Bank through the ministry of Agriculture, were contracted to Sarick Construction Company in July 2018. They were expected to be completed within six months.
However, more than a year later, only half of work has been done. For the cattle market, the paddock and cattle tracks were allegedly shoddily done, the solar system and the cattle weighing scale have not been put in place.
Failure by the contractor to complete the works has angered residents and leaders.
“We do not know what is going on, we only understand that the contractor plans to repair and fix the old weighing scale instead of buying a new one. That is cheating of taxpayers because he was given Shs50m to put a new one,” a resident, who preferred anonymity, said in an interview on Tuesday.
Similarly, only a third of works have been done in the other four projects.
“We currently spend Shs24m monthly to rent a place for doing cattle business because this contractor has failed to finish the work in time,” Mr Alfred Igune, the Bukedea Town Council chairperson, said.
Mr Shuan Emong Juma, the district vice chairperson, said the contractor is abusing government funds.
Leaders angry
During the inspection of the facilities on Tuesday, the district leaders resolved that the contractor should not be given more time to finish works after he failed to beat the September 2019 deadline.
Dr Francis Ongelech, the district production officer, said the ministry of Agriculture has already threatened to terminate the contract.
“Whenever I come for site visits, I do not find anyone around and when you call them, they only come up with excuses,” Dr Ongelec complained.
Mr Jonathan Nuwahereza, the projects’ foreman, asked the district to give them more time to complete the work.
“Procurement for the remaining works has been done so please give us some little time to finish this work,” Mr Nuwahereza said.
Mr George William Kisirye, the head of Sarick Construction, did not answer our repeated phone calls.
Target. The five Bukedea projects are part of the$40 million Regional Pastoral Livelihoods Resilience Project funded by the World Bank. It targets to benefit at least 42,000 households through the construction of valley dams and livestock markets in the drought-prone districts in Karamoja and Teso sub-regions. Similar projects are also being implemented in Abim, Amuria, Amudat, Bukedea, Katakwi, Kotido, Kaabong, Kween, Kumi, Napak, Moroto and Nakapiripirit districts. The government has also established Ajesai Holding Ground in Katakwi, Akoromit Cattle Market in Kumi, Nyero Slaughter Shed in Kumi and Ocorimongin Cattle Market in Katakwi, among others.
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