The Ministry of Local Government on the 15th January 2022 has launched the construction of 641km community access roads in Acholi and Madi sub-regions.
The Project which will cost over Shs55.6b in this financial year will benefit multiple districts in the region.
Among the districts to benefit from this project include; Agago, Amuru, Gulu, Lamwo, Kitgum, Nwoya, Omoro, Pader, and Adjumani.
The Local Government minister, Mr Raphael Magyezi, while at the ground-breaking ceremony in Kitgum Municipality said the project will be implemented under the Programme for the Restoration of Livelihoods in the Northern Region (PRELNOR).
“Roads are the arteries through which the economy pulses operate and by linking producers to the markets, students to school, and the sick to health facilities, roads are vital to the country’s development agenda,” Magyezi said.
He also encouraged the beneficiaries to maximize the roads for their development.
“I urge our people in the region to make good use of these roads to improve their lives. Any contractor who does shoddy work will be brought to book. I appeal to the RDCs (Resident District Commissioners), LC5 chairpersons, and other elected leaders to closely monitor the works,” he said.
Mr Martin Jacan Gwokto, the Kitgum chief administrative officer, said only about 59.5km of the roads are ready for construction while 41km are still under procurement.
He added saying one of the longest roads Labora-Vietnam to Pawidi-Lagam Pii, which is 11.7km, Wang Kenya-Rukut Olaya in Orom Sub-county, and Akecha-Polo-Lamogi in Lagoro (12km) will cost Shs3b. Mr Magyezi also commissioned the recently completed 580km of roads built and rehabilitated at a total cost of Shs56b under the same project in northern Uganda.
Mr Magyezi also applauded the PRELNOR programme for improving community access road networks in rural communities in northern Uganda.
According to Ms. Monica Akot, PRELNOR regional manager, the 580km roads were built and rehabilitated in nine districts, 100 parishes, 25 sub-counties, and 491 villages to enable increased incomes, food security, and reduced vulnerability among poor rural households.
Ms. Akot said under batch A of PRELNOR, a total of 64.3km of community access roads were constructed and rehabilitated in Lagoro, Omia Anyima, and Orom I sub-counties in Kitgum at Shs7.57 billion.
Mr Magyezi also launched a total of 48.5km new roads at Shs5b under batch B.
Prior, the roadworks project was however affected by delayed procurement and the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic that affected the availability of both technical and unskilled manpower.
The project will provide access to improved roads, facilitate more competitive prices, and increase famer’s income through improvements to community access roads and structures that facilitate production marketing for agricultural trade.
