West Nile investors challenge Govt on poor roads

Nebbi, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Local investors in West Nile are demanding that the government improves the poor state of roads if the sub region is to become a key investment hub.

The Investors made the appeal in Nebbi district, during the first West Nile investment summit organized by Uganda Investment Authority.

According to them, cost of running business has increased because of poor state of the road networks in the area.

Vincent Okaba, the proprietor of Roke Fuel Station in Nebbi district says that although government has embarked on the establishing industrial parks, better road infrastructure network is one of the key pre-requisites to enhance development in the region.

He says the local investors have been grappling with the high cost of maintaining vehicles due to the poor state of roads.

Meanwhile, Emmauel Orombi, the LC 5 Chairperson of Nebbi district says, some roads have turned to be death traps for the local investors due to their poor state.

According to Orombi, if the government could fulfill the pledge of tarmacking the Nebbi – Goli – Paidha-Zombo-Warr-Vurra Road, it will greatly boost investment and development in the sub region.

In 2015, while addressing his supporters at Bar Okoro in Paidha Town, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni promised to tarmac the Nebbi-Goli road to link Uganda to DR Congo which has since not been fulfilled.

Currently, the Karuma-Olwiyo-Pakwach-Nebbi-Arua highway road is in sorry state with several potholes, poor drainage which has not only affected smooth flow of traffic but has turned to be a death trap.

However, the Minister of Finance Matia Kasaija who was the chief guest at the investment summit on Saturday apologised over the poor state of the Karuma-Olwiyo-Pakwach-Nebbi-Arua road and pledged government support towards its repairs.

He says government delayed to repair the road due to funding challenges but they now have money to undertake the works.

In May last year, the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) engaged a Chinese firm, China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) Uganda Limited which is currently making remedial repairs on the Olwiyo-Pakwach Road.

The 214 kilometer Karuma-Olwiyo-Pakwach-Nebbi-Arua highway is the major business route between Acholi and the West Nile Sub Regions and DRC as well as the only potential road to the Murchison National Game Park.

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