Ministry of works designs new bridges and roads flood disaster plan

Kampala, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT | The Ministry of Works and Transport and the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) have designed a new flood action plan to counter delays during flood disasters. 

The new five-year flood action plan involves making readily available funds, equipment and human resources to respond to emergencies on time. The flood action plan will improve efficiency in terms of response to bridge and road structures affected by floods. 

Waiswa Bageya, Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Works and Transport, says that there has not been a formal action plan to promptly respond to cases of bridges and road flood disasters on time, yet these require human physical and financial resources on time to ease the problems caused by floods.

He says the Ministry has allocated Five Billion Shillings emergency funds for the action plan.

The funds would be topped up by the Finance Ministry and Office of the Prime Minister of Uganda under the disaster preparedness budget.    

Eng. Lawrence Pario, Head of Bridges and Structures at UNRA believes the new flood response plan will boost the timely response to bridges and road flood disasters, within eight hours.

It will also allow emergency equipment bought and stationed at all UNRA stations in anticipation to respond to emergencies in Karamoja, Bugisu, Kasese, Teso and Kapchorwa regions that are prone to flooding.

Pario says several roads and bridges were washed away during the lockdown affecting the movement of people and goods. He cites the Mpondwe Bridge in Kasese, Nsongi Bridge in Western Uganda, Odroo, Ayugi, Wariki, Ceri, Adidi, Opio in West Nile, Aji and Ora Bridges in Okollo District.

Others are Enyau Bridge in Arua, Awoo in Amuru and Nariamabune in Kaboong.

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