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Omoro, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Omoro district local government has started the rehabilitation of 91.1 km of community access roads that are in a bad state.
The roads that have so far been rehabilitated include the 33km Bobi Frontiers – Awor to Ongako, 0.5km Opit to Awor at a tune of 250 million for graveling under the low-cost ceiling, 8.9km Lakwatomer- Abole-Abili at a tune of 48 million, 8.7km Lalogi-Bario at a tune of 50 million shillings. Others include; 40km Abili-Abwoch to Wii Tochi and Opit to Awor rehabilitated under the district discretionary equalization grant (DDEG).
The other roads earmarked for rehabilitation in the next financial year include; 7.8km Lakwatomer- Palenga to Keto in Lakwana Sub County and 8km Abole-Lujo Awinyo -Lagwer Dola road. The conditions of the roads worsened last year following the heavy torrential rains received in the district coupled with the heavy trucks carrying loads including charcoal, produce and timber among other luggage.
Douglas Okello Peter, the LCV chairperson Omoro district says the rehabilitation exercise is being funded under the Rural transport infrastructure, Uganda road funds and the District Discretionary Equalization Grant-DDEG.
According to Okello, they are however struggling to rehabilitate some of the roads due to the heavy rains they are currently receiving coupled with the minimal funding from the central government. He says many of the road’s pass-through swamps which often flood after heavy rains.
He says they get 381 million shillings every financial year which cannot repair and buy spare parts for the road work machines as well as rehabilitate the roads.
Susan Aber, a resident of Abwoch says that the road connecting them to Tochi has often been cut off by overflowing water from the Tochi stream after heavy rains. She hopes that district authorities can install a bridge and improve on the drainage system such that water overflow is cut off.
Justine Otim, another resident of Abwoch, says the district should have started the rehabilitation of the roads before the rains started. He made it clear that he is not so certain about the quality of work especially when it’s raining.
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