Traders count losses as Wanseko-Panyimur ferry remains grounded

Buliisa, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Traders in Buliisa and Pakwach districts are counting losses after the suspension of the Wanseko-Panyimur ferry operations.

The operations were suspended in July last year following the rising water levels of Lake Albert which submerged the docking piers.

The ferry is the major link for business persons in the regional towns like Hoima, Kigorobya, Masindi, Biiso, Buliisa, Kikuube and Wanseko in Bunyoro in the Albertine, and Panyimur, Dei, Pakwach, Nebbi, Paidha and Arua in West Nile. Traders from as far as the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan use the ferry to transact various types of businesses.

Jackson Mbidi, a businessman dealing in timber at Wanseko landing site says he has lost close to 100 million shillings since his customers from Panyimur, Arua and the DRC cannot cross the lake to buy timber.

Vincent Opoka, another businessman dealing in fish at Wanseko landing site says most of his customers from DRC have not crossed the lake to purchase fish.

Opoka says that he lost 60 million shillings and wants the government to find an alternative and have the ferry services resume.

Joselyne Akumu, operating a restaurant at Panyimur fish market says her business is currently closed. She wants the government to expedite the process of maintaining the ferry docking piers so that their businesses can resume.

Ronny Babyenda who operates a beer depot at Wanseko landing site says he has lost close to 200 million shillings as his customers from Butiaba, Bugoigo, Wanseko and Runga landing sites in Buliisa and Hoima have since failed to cross the lake to transact business with him.

Rogers Mulimba, operating a lodge at Panyimur landing site says he has lost close to 50 million shillings as his clients who used to come from as far as North-Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan to transact business have all stopped saying this is a big loss to his business.

Simon Agaba Kinene, the Buliisa LC V chairperson says as local government, they have lost over 1 billion shillings in local revenue. He says there is a need to provide alternative means of transport on the lake since most people fear to transact business by boats.

One of the ferry operators who spoke to URN on condition of anonymity says it is not easy to construct other emergency landing sites for the Ferry to resume since the water levels are still high.

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URN