Drainage Channel Construction at Pece Stream Stalls

GULU CITY – The construction of a 1.5 kilometers drainage channel at Pece Stream in Gulu City has stalled as donor gives an ultimatum to the construction company.

This project funded by Fichtner, a German international organization at the cost of Shs 600 million was meant to widen the stream to avert the outburst of water and floods in the city.

However, a 2017 report by the Ministry of Water and Environment mapped Gulu City among the areas in Northern Uganda that are potentially prone to floods.

Following the development, the former Gulu Municipal Council then recommended widening the water banks at Pece Stream and secured the funding from Fichtner two years ago.

Destiny Construction, a local construction company was awarded a 6 months contract to implement the project since November last year. The timeline for completion of the work has since elapsed by two months.

It is now 8 months since the construction site was commissioned and handed over to the contractor but they have failed to initiate the project.

Towler Robert, the team leader at Fichtner disclosed in a recent interview with Uganda Radio Network that an ultimatum of two weeks was issued to the construction company to complete its work.

Despite the ultimatum, the company has failed to explain the delay in getting the work completed.

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He further explained that the company has breached its contractual obligation to the project and that Fichtner, has no choice but to terminate the contract or withdraw support from the Gulu City.

In his response, Okwonga Alfred, Gulu City Council Mayor noted that Council has received complaints from the donor over the slow progress of work on the stream.

He revealed that a recent meeting by the Executive Committee of Council (ECC) has recommended that another construction company be contracted to complete the project.

“This is a project we can’t lose and we have asked the donor to review the contract before another company takes over the project” Okwonga disclosed.

When contacted, Gudoi Kenneth, the contractor said the project was wrongly designed even before the project commenced.

According to the physical planning of the project, the location which is below Unifat Primary School and next to former Bardege Division offices is a gazzeted ecological wetland park for a recreational Centre to be constructed along the belt and other public offices.

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