The District Chairman of Yumbe, Asiku Abdultwalib Asiku, lamented the slow progress of over 15 projects worth Shs12.3 billion that were handed to contractors Spider, Tidan and CMD under the Uganda Support Infrastructure Development Programme (USMID).
Refugee support projects in Yumbe delayed, govt asked to consider local contractors
Officials in Yumbe District have asked the government to consider local contractors for civil construction following delayed delivery by external contractors on the World Bank funded projects targeting the welfare of refugees in the area.
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“Under the USMID Program, we have received Shs 32 billion because of the various facilities we are constructing. But we want these contractors to perform as the programme is ending in a year’s time,” Asiku said.
According to him, local engineers are easy to hold accountable for public funds compared foreign contractors.
“These contracts need to be given to local contractors compared to external actors who are actually not performing. We might arrest them and confine them since these are taxpayers’ resources,” he added.
These construction projects are set to raise the capacity of districts that are hosting refugee communities with infrastructure like modern markets, recreational centres, green parks and resource centres.
However, the contractors are failing to meet timelines and deadlines.
Obiga Kania, the State Minister for Urban Development who is currently in the district inspecting the projects, said that drastic measures will have to be taken to ensure that the projects abide to their duration.
“We cannot keep working outside timelines even when resources are disbursed to the contractors,” Kania threatened.
He was seconded by the Commissioner for Physical Planning in the Ministry of Housing, Vincent Karema, who said that optimisation of resources and funds in time is of prime importance.
“We want full utilisation of these monies. Contractors should stop pulling their legs in these civil works,” Karema said.
World Bank has earmarked $30 million under USMID for West Nile to reduce socio-economic pressures faced by communities hosting refugees. Some of these communities are in Yumbe include Kululu, Bijo, Odravu, Kulikulinga and Ariwa.
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