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Gulu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Gulu District COVID -19 Taskforce has banned stopovers for all cargo truck drivers in the district.
The ban was issued by Gulu Resident District Commissioner Maj. Santos Okot Lapolo as the head of the District COVID-19 Taskforce, amid growing uncertainty on the health status of the drivers, as scores of them, have tested positive to COVID-19.
Uganda so far Registered 75 cases of COVID-19. However, several of them were among truck drivers, crossing through Uganda mainly from Tanzania and Kenya. All of them were tested at the borders and allowed to continue through the journeys while awaiting the release of their results by the Uganda Virus Research Institute.
But Lapolo says that while on the way, the truck drivers come in contact with locals when they make stopovers.
Lapolo adds that the taskforce has resolved to heighten security across the town to ensure that all trucks just drive through Gulu without stopping. Many of the truck drivers have been stopping at Corner Layibi and Lacor Trading Centre in Gulu district, often spending nights, while waiting for another day to take the rest of the journey.
Alex Okoya, a member of the Taskforce told URN in an interview that since some of the cargo truck drivers have been driving through the district for years, they have established contacts with the local community and that some of them have families in the district.
According to Okoya, allowing them to make stopovers in the district will be too risky since some of them may be COVID -19 positive and could infect those they get into contact with.
Gulu Deputy Resident District Commissioner Tom Oree, also a member of the Taskforce observed a need to sensitize women on the dangers of COVID-19 and encourage them to stay away from the truck drivers.
Justine Obol, one of the area councillors says that allowing the truck drivers to make stopovers in the district will be a self-defeating move in all efforts to stop coronavirus disease – COVID-19 from spreading into the district.
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URN
This is so ironical.
How then do you expect the truckers to operate normally, the RDC should have set up a gazetted place for the truckers to rest ere they resume their journey onwards, for the mere fact that Gulus is half way between their journey and it is only humane that they rest, otherwise fatigue will take hold of them and next will be accidents!
As the President advised, leaders of towns and centers along trucking highways should make level-headed decisions versus emotional ones that they currently and blindly making.