Works Ministry launches Shs 4bln road construction works in Amuria
AMURIA – The Ministry of Works and Transport has launched the construction of community access roads measuring 23 kilometres in Amuria district.
The roads include Alereke-Abia-Kuju [13km] in Kuju Sub-county, Sugur-Opam 4km road and Sugur-Omugenya 6km road connecting Amolo Sub-county in Amuria district and Gweri Sub-county in Soroti district.
While launching the construction works on Tuesday, State Minister for Works and Transport, Musa Francis Ecweru, who is also the Amuria County legislator, said that the construction works will cost government Shs 4 billion.
The road works being undertaken by a team of engineers from the Ministry of Works and Transport are expected to last 12 months.
According to Ecweru, these roads have been in a sorry state for more than a decade thus making them impassable, particularly during the rainy season.
“The farmers on both sides have been unable to carry out trade easily in agricultural produce due to the deplorable state of roads,” explained Ecweru.
Ecweru noted the road works will include grading, culvert installation, drainage works, and graveling among others to make them motorable.
According to Ecweru, the roads to be worked on are part of the 45 community access roads that the Ministry is going to work on across the country this financial year.
“Government has identified development of road infrastructure as one of the key elements of economic development, a reason it’s investing heavily in the road sector,” he said.
He said in the current financial year, each district in the country has been allocated Shs 1bln for road infrastructure development.
The minister called on the engineers to deliver quality work within the stipulated time.
‘We want quality work. We don’t expect substandard work on these roads,” Ecweru warned.
He also tasked the local leadership to ensure adequate supervision of the road construction works.
James Abura, the LCIII chairperson, Amolo Sub-county commended the Ministry for funding road construction in the area.
According to him, the dilapidated roads and lack of basic infrastructure have hindered economic and social development in the communities.
“Whenever there are floods, the roads are unusable and therefore our residents are cut off from essential services. However, once the road is completed, it’s going to help them transport their produce to the market uninterrupted even during floods,” said Abura.
Michael Olanya, a boda-boda rider from Abia Sub-county said roads in the area are in the sorry state, sometimes causing accidents.
Olanya said repairing the road will go a long way in boosting the socio-economic development of the area.
Susan Agoe, a produce dealer, said rehabilitation came at a time when people in the area had lost hope in the government fixing the roads.
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