The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kitgum district local government has allocated 325 Million Shillings for provision of clean water in the nine sub-counties.
The money from the sector development grant is expected to be used for sinking and constructing ten new deep boreholes and rehabilitation of ten other broken boreholes this financial year.
Emmanuel Lapyem, the secretary for works and technical services also Labongo Layamo sub county LCV councillor says the boreholes will help the selected communities gain access to clean water.
The sub-counties of Omiya Anyima, Mucwini, Orom, Labongo Layamo, Labongo Akwang, Labongo Amida, Lagoro and Kitgum Matidi will each get one new borehole while two will be drilled in Namokora sub-county.
According to Lapyem, 225 million shillings will be used to drill ten new deep boreholes each costing 22.5 million shillings while 100 million shillings will be used for rehabilitating ten broken boreholes, each at a cost of 10 million shillings.
He says the district has already contracted Icon projects Company Limited to undertake drilling, construction and rehabilitation of the boreholes adding that the project is expected to take not more than three months.
Robert Ocana, Namokora sub-county LCIII chairperson says access to clean and safe water in the area is still very low at only 43.1 percent adding that many people still rely on unsafe water sources.
Ocana says the most affected areas are Onyala zone in Pagwok parish and Agot Agot zone in Pogoda Parish where locals have limited clean water access.
With a population of 186,924 people, safe water coverage in Kitgum district stands at 125.9 percent but access to clean water remains slightly lower at only 77.2 percent. For instance, 22 villages in Orom sub-county with a population of 5,417 people doesn’t have access to clean water.
The district has a total of 941 boreholes but only 577 are functional according to a recent report from the district local government report on water and sanitation.
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