Government launches construction of water production facilities in Amolatar, Pader

This significant project also involves the construction of pump/guard houses and steel tank towers, with each of the four tanks having a capacity of 10,000 litres, and the construction of three cattle and goats’ troughs.

Upon completion, the water facilities are expected to benefit thousands of goats and heads of cattle in the two districts.

Mr Charles Bwire, an engineer at Water for Production Regional Centre North, said the project would provide water for irrigation to smallholder farmers.

“We are looking at activities like livestock watering. We shall have some tap stands for water supply but limited to home use but not consumption because this is not treated water,” he said while handing over the site for Oryamai Valley tank, Amolatar Town Council, to the contractor on Tuesday.

 “This water will also be used for rural industries like bricklaying; we shall have some limited irrigation for those who are interested in some horticulture activities and then we shall also have aquaculture,” he added.

The contract for the construction of the water for production facilities in Amolatar and Pader was awarded to Kaleeta Construction Limited after going through a rigorous and competitive procurement process.

Eng Bwire said the contractor is expected to expedite his work within a period of eight months and he will be given a defect liability period of six months.

Before the commencement of works, the contractor will be expected to submit a project management work programme. This project is going to be directly supervised by the Ministry of Water and Environment, he added.

“And we have assigned a project management team that will be headed by the contract manager who will be directly in charge of supervising the contractor.”

During execution, the ministry’s team will be in direct contact with the contractor, the district leadership, and the community to ensure the project is successfully implemented.

“As you can see from the scope of works, this is a project of high significance not only to the community and the districts but also to the ministry,” Eng Bwire said.

“Therefore, the contractor is charged with a very serious responsibility to deliver this project on time such that our intended beneficiaries can start enjoying the outcome of this project.”     

Mr Thomas Arum, the Amolatar acting district engineer, said: “As the department of engineering, our emphasis is on quality, and we shall also have a hand in the supervision because, at the end of the project, it is Amolatar District that will be benefiting from this project.” 

Ms Daisy Ekaa Awongo, Amolatar's acting Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) lauded the government for the intervention.

“I really want to appreciate the Ministry of Water and Environment for the support they have rendered to this district for the last two financial years. As we talk right now, we have two big projects running within the district being supported by the Ministry of Water and Environment. We have the Namasale piped water system under construction and now we also have this construction of Oryamai Valley dam in Amolatar Town Council,” she said.

Ms Ekaa decried insufficient funding for water and sanitation programmes. She added that Amolatar District leadership uses the little money districts receive under the Water and Sanitation Grant for drilling and rehabilitation of boreholes for clean and safe water for human consumption.

“And so we are not able to undertake the construction of valley dams but we are grateful that the ministry has come in to support the district to improve water for production,” the acting district accounting officer said.

“We are hopeful that the construction of this valley dam is going to improve water for production, and I’m sure that my technical team that is here in the department of production is happier than all of us here.”

Local leaders have encouraged the community to take advantage of the project and derive all the benefits it has come along with once it is completed and handed over to them.

Mr Denis Mulindwa, director of Kaleeta Construction Limited, commended the technical and procurement teams at the Ministry of Water and Environment for choosing his company as the best-evaluated bidder for this project.

“The best I can promise the community are two or three things. Number one is the timely delivery of the project. As per the contract signed, we are supposed to execute the works within eight months,” he said.

“But I would like to promise that we will do the work within six months so that by June we are commissioning this project. And we further pledge that we will do this with zero compromise on quality.”

Mr Geoffrey Etum, Amolatar Town Council LC3 chairperson, said: “We are so appreciative of this project because it has taken a lot of time and we didn’t have hope but now we are very grateful that it has finally come.”    

Mr Patrick Aroma, a livestock farmer and the chairman LC1 of Oryamai Cell in Amolatar Town Council, is optimistic the project will have a huge impact on smallholder farmers’ lives.

“On behalf of the community, we welcome this project wholeheartedly,” he said.

Ms Jessica Ogodi, another farmer in Amolatar, said she would use the water to water her two cows and for horticulture.