The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Maracha, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Construction works of Kololo Seed Secondary School in Maracha district have stalled.
In April 2019, Maracha district commissioned the construction of a seed secondary school in Vura village, Tara sub-county at 1.9 Billion Shillings with funding from the World Bank under the intergovernmental fiscal transfer(UgIFT) program. The contract was awarded to Achoru United traders limited and was supposed to take 12 months.
However, the construction works have not been completed up to date, despite the fact that the contractor had already been paid 100 percent of the contract sum.
The works included two classroom blocks, a two-unit science laboratory block, an administration block, three units for teachers, two stance latrine blocks for the administration block, and two stance latrine blocks for teachers.
Others were five stance VIP latrine blocks for boys, five stance VIP latrine blocks for girls, rain water harvesting tanks, an ICT and Library block, and a football ground.
Most of the buildings have not been painted, and doors, windows and rainwater harvesting systems have not been fixed. The works at the playground that were valued at 50 million Shillings have been abandoned and are being used as grazing grounds.
Martin Adrama, the deputy head teacher says the project site is currently being manned by casual laborers who can hardly provide explanations about the fate of the project. He says the delays have forced them to continue to operate in the condemned and dilapidated structures putting the lives of the learners and teachers at risk.
Yadah Rasul Ayiman, the contractor refused to comment on the allegations when contacted.
Stephen Obitre, the LCV chairperson says that the contractor was paid all the money following the advice of the acting district engineer Timothy Ezati who was also the project supervising engineer.
Last year, the concerned stakeholder petitioned the State House Anti-Corruption Unit to investigate the former Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Christopher Okumu, Ezati, and the Internal Auditor Paul Abiribale for allegedly certifying the excess payment.
Festus Ayikobua, the Maracha Resident District Commissioner says that his office is aware of the allegations and they are working with relevant authorities to see that action is taken against those implicated.
Kololo Seed Secondary School is the second seed school to be constructed in the district after Oleba Seed SS, currently hwith an enrollment of 330 students.
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