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Lira, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Lango Parliamentary Group have asked the Ministry of Works and Transport to work on five key roads in different districts within the sub-region.
The petition signed by the MPs was on Saturday presented to Minister Katumba Wamala and Allen Kagina, the Executive Director Uganda National Roads Authority-UNRA, during a meeting with the MPs and other district leaders in Lira city.
The roads include the 66kms of Lira-Kamdini road, 88km Dokolo-Namasale-Ochero road, Lira-Aloi-Abim road measuring 120kms and corner Ayer-Corner Aboke, Iceme, Ngai to Bobi measuring 55kms.
Leaders also asked the ministry to upgrade 134.9kms of district roads to national roads. They include Agweng- Barjobi-Okwang-Baralegi, Teboke-Bala town council-Lira University to Odokomit, Teboke-corner park-Aliyat-Aboke- Alito to Ogur, and Aboko-Chawente-Apoi to Akokoro which leads to the ferry site in Apac district.
Judith Alyek, the Kole Woman MP and Chairperson Lango Parliamentary Group said that business in the sub-region has declined due to the bad roads.
General Katumba Wamala, the Minister of Works and Transport confirmed that Lango has a very low density of tarmac road, saying the implementation of road works is based on the National Development Plan-NDP guidelines and party manifesto.
He tasked the MPs to follow up on the petition because the ministry’s responsibility is to implement not to apportion funds.
Katumba however said that the government may not have the money to work on all the roads.
On government taking over the district roads, Katumba advised the districts to make the best use of the road equipment that was sent to the districts.
Samuel Opio Actui, the Kole North MP explained that although other regions might also be experiencing challenges with road networks, the magnitude of the problem in Lango is so big that it requires immediate intervention.
Geoffrey Ocen, the LCV chairperson Amolatar said that the district receives inadequate funds for road works.
Last week, MPs expressed concern regarding the poor state of roads across the country despite a huge chunk of budget allocated to the Works and Transport sector annually.
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