The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Museveni has directed that the Ntungamo district engineer in charge of building, Apollo Kariyo be suspended to pave way for investigations into the shoddy works on Eriya Kategaya Memorial Institute in Itojo sub-county, Ntungamo district.
The Eriya Kategeya Memorial Institute is a 2013 presidential pledge.
The president also wants the engineer in charge of constructions from the Ministry of Education attached to Ntungamo district, Herbert Aharimpitsya suspended.
In the letter directed to the Minister of Education, Janet Museveni, the President says the statehouse monitoring team inspected the school twice and in its report indicated that there was shoddy work and uncompleted works at the institute and yet payments were fully effected.
Museveni also directed the state house monitoring team to keep monitoring and reporting to the Education Minister.
The construction of Eriya Kategaya Memorial Institute was budgeted to cost 1.7 billion shillings and works started in 2017 under the supervision of the district engineer.
However, the construction done in phases has seen three contractors win awards and these include; Gremu Trading Co. Limited for the first phase, Asimbe Constructions won the second phase, and Gremu won the third phase.
The Chief Administrative Officer Mukiibi Nasser, confirmed receiving the directive, however said he is responsible for only the district engineer and the other engineer is under the ministry.
He says they have started on the process to suspend him.
Ntungamo Resident District Commissioner David Kaboyo, says they have started the process to have them suspended as per the directive.
He says the State Minister of Education toured the site after the directive came, and found there was no value for money.
Denis Muhumuza, the Itojo sub county district councilor welcomed the president’s intervention because it was his pledge.
He says the structural plan, the layout, and Bills of Quantities were from the ministry and the local leadership were just made observers, and every time they would want to speak they were silenced.
According to district council records, Eriya Kategaya Memorial Institute has received supplementary budgets for three financial years with each amounting to more than 200 million shillings.
Muhumuza says any objection to the supplementary budgets meant sabotage to the project.
Benon Kwesigabo, the Chairperson LC III Itojo sub-county says leaders and residents expected better buildings but were left surprised by what had been put up and the shoddy works.
He blames this on lack of information, noting that the official concealed it from them.
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