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By Steven Ariong
KARAMOJA: Leaders in Karamoja region have demanded for special investigations into uncompleted projects funded by World Bank through Ministry of Agriculture and animals industry under Resilience projects in the region.
Some of the projects such as dams and animal holding grounds and cattle markets which were fully funded and expected to have been completed since 2019 when the projects were launched have remained uncompleted while other sites have been deserted by the contractors over unknown reasons.
Some of the projects visited such as Morungole dam located in Kaabong district which was under construction by Zhongaho company limited a Chinese firm at the cost of shs7.8 billion, the work has since stalled and site deserted after it was launched in May 2019.
Mr.Joshua Bosomtwe the site manager of Zhonghao when contacted to ask why they left the site declined to comment.
“Am not in position to talk about that may be you talk to the director,”he said and hanged up his call.
Mr. Jino Meri the district chairperson of Kaabong district said many projects under world bank have failed to create an impact to the lives of the people of Kaabong and Karamoja at Large.
“Look at that project of Morungole, not even the district was involved because this is the ministry of Agriculture error where by they don’t want to involve the district in monitoring the projects,” he said when speaking to our reporter.
Another dam visited in Kanapidi, Kaoyaagor village in Kotido district which costed government shs6.7billion has also stalled before it’s completion since it was launched in April 2019 and expected to be done within five months, although there was sign of works going on but their was no body at the site not even the equipment by the time we visited.
Mr. Joseph Komol the district Chairperson of Kotido district said the work which was taking place at the dam by the ministry of Agriculture team was like not that impressive.
Kamol further says he only learnt about the construction works in the dam around November 2021 yet the work was officially launched around April 2021 and it was expected to have only taken six month period but till now work has not been completed.
“We went to the site as council but we never got any one at the site but if you see what’s in the site honestly it’s not a dam worth shs6.7billion,”he said.
Another dam which has also stalled is Kosike in Amudat district which costed government shs10bn no work is in progress since.
It should also be understood that the animal holding ground in Namalu visited by our snoops has installed and the cattle market in Lemusui sub county in Nakapiripirit district was been abandoned long time ago.
Mr.Paul Lokol the district chairperson of Nabilatuk district said behaviors of ministry of water and environment and ministry of Agriculture staffs affects the development of Karamoja.
“The MAAIF people just do their work without involving the district people not even the local community and this makes it hard for proper supervison and owning any project,”he said.
According to Mr.Lokol as long as the technical team from the ministry of water and ministry of Agriculture continue to behave as if they are from heaven, there will be no sucesful projects under world bank in Karamoja.
Mr.John Nangiro the district Chairperson of Nakapiripirit district said the ministry of Agriculture has failed to complete a cattle market located in Moruita sub county in Nakapiripirit district which costed them shs 500million and another cattle holding ground in Namalu which costed government shs 1.8billion all remain uncompleted.
“All the sites have been abandoned by the contractor and no one in the ministry of Agriculture is bothered to follow up,” he said.
He said he has written several letters to the line ministry for the delayed completion of Resilience projects but all is vain.
“We are looking ways to meet with the team from the world bank to express our disapointment over their funded projects,”he said.
According to Mr.Nangiro, projects of more than 140 billion under Resilience program in Karamoja have failed.
But MAAIF Engineer who over sees the projects in the region Mr.Francis Wanaloba when contacted acknowledged some projects have delayed due to what he calls unavoidable circumstances such as rains and Insecurity.
He gave an example of Morungole dam where the Chinese contractor abandoned the site after being attacked by the armed cattle rustlers.
He said they were working with the contractors to ensure that all the projects uncompleted will be completed and handed over to the respective district within the shortest time.
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