Napak starts construction of oil seed roads

Napak, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Napak district local government has commenced the construction of the 10-kilometer roads under the National Oil Seed Project.

The 10-kilometer roads are part of the 2500 kilometers of community access roads to be constructed to ease the transportation of produce, improve access to markets, and boost oil seed production. The roads to be graded are Acoricol – Kalodung which covers 6 kilometers and Acoricol to Lorengecora town council.

The scope of the works includes the opening, grabbing with 3 box culverts which will be put on the road, and aerated culverts that will be at the swampy area that covers 1 kilometer.

Napak Chief Administrative Officer, James Okumu said that the government has supported the road rehabilitation project for 1.216 billion shillings.

Okumu said Napak is among the districts that have benefited from the National Oil Seed Program funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in partnership with the government of Uganda.

Okumu appealed to the community to cooperate with the constructors to ensure that there is proper work done under closed supervision.

Okumu also noted that once the works are done, the farmers will be able to access markets and they should be encouraged to improve on their productivity.

Okumu said that the farmers should also be able to select enterprises that can enhance their social and economic well-being.

The Acting District Engineer for Napak, Sisto Alinga said they had initially planned for 15 kilometers for each sub-county but it was reduced to 10 kilometers in the first phase due to high costs of construction.

He said that phase two will handle the roads that cross the swampy areas, especially in the Apeitolim sub-county.

Alinga said that the project is likely to take 6 months as per the contract document but the work may be done in less than the expected timeframe.

He also noted that the project has two components which are agricultural input under the Agriculture Ministry and infrastructure linkage that is directly handled by the Ministry of Local Government.

Alinga explained that the farmers will be able to pick the produce from the farms and take them to the processing industries.

John Paul Kodet, the LC5 chairperson of Napak district urged the farmers to produce enough sunflower and improve the trade with the neighboring districts in Teso.

Kodet noted that the roads will also improve the mobility of the surrounding communities in terms of service delivery. He also noted that the roads would help the security forces to track the cattle rustlers who have been terrorizing the community.

Kodet observed that it was the right decision to open up the roads in the areas that used to be a path route for the criminals and rescue the situation.

Kodet said that the next plan should be to open a market within the oil seed markets so that farmers can sell their produce.

Kodet appealed to the people of Napak to utilize the roads very well by venturing into the economic activities that can generate for them income.

Peterken Lochap, the Member of Parliament for Bokora East County said that the roads will assist the community to transport their farm produce.

Lochap noted that the road network has been very poor and it has been a hindering factor for the farmers. He added that the road network will also improve service delivery and boost production.

Lochap urged the community to make the best use of the roads and also start constructing commercial houses along the roads for economic transformation.

Bokora West County MP, John Bosco Ngoya said that the roads link the farmers to the market.

Ngoya said that there are so many farmers who have been losing produce that rote at home because they could not access the market.

He added that his community has not been able to access the health facilities due to the poor status of the roads. He urged the community to be alert and keen to participate in the development of the area.

The National Seed Oil project rolled out in 2021 is running for seven years and it is aimed at supporting smallholder farmers in oil seed production and market linkages. The project is currently being implemented in the districts of Amudat, Napak, Abim Nakapiripirit, Nabilatuk, and Kaabong district.

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