Reconstruction of Tochi Irrigation Scheme resumes in Oyam district

OYAM – After farmers counted losses and deserted the Tochi Irrigation Scheme in Oyam district due to over flooding, Ministry of Water and Environment has recalled the firm which was undertaking the construction works to correct the defects.

The construction of a Shs 28b irrigation scheme to promote rice growing rendered the beneficiaries unconvinced after the contractor abandoned the site over unclear circumstances sparking off public outburst.

Its construction started in 2016 with funding from African Development Bank (ADB) strictly to boost rice farming, improve food security and fish farming. It was set to benefit 1,000 farmers from Acaba, Minakulu and Ngai sub-counties.

But farmers under their umbrella, Tochi Rice Growers’ Cooperative Society suffered a setback after some of their rice fields were submerged into water and crops swept off.

Richard Anyuru, the mobilizer of the scheme says the contractor, Ambitious Construction Company in joint venture with HV Devoc International have returned and started correcting defects which include; bush clearing, destroying anthills and opening channels which was not done.

He says with the new development, as Tochi Rice Growers’ Cooperative Society, the members have increased to 800 and are waiting for the completion of the scheme and kicked off planting for the first season.

“There were challenges in the construction work and the contractor has been recalled and has started work,” he said.

Anyuru says the cooperative has just completed only one year and they want every rice grower to register under the cooperative. Membership and registration fees according to Ayuru is Shs 60,000.

“You register at Shs 10, 000 and buy shares starting from Shs 50,000 and above if you are willing to be a fully recognized member,” he said.

The Acaba LC3 Chairperson, Charles Amuge said that as a leader, he was sidelined and denied opportunity to secure a plot in the scheme and had not been furnished with the information about the cooperative.

He further said when he demanded for a plot for rice growing, he was instructed to pay Shs 80,000, a move which he rejected.

“There are so many issues in that scheme and as a leader I completely don’t have any information about the scheme and the cooperative,” he said.

Last year, a total of 1,200 acres were apportioned and allocated to farmers but only 621 picked up and planted.

Efforts to reach Richard Cong, the Chairperson of Tochi Rice Growers’ Cooperative society to throw more light on the cooperative were futile as he didn’t pick our calls.

Chris Ongom, the district LC5 Councilor of Acaba said, though farmers experienced challenges last year, this year there is hope that they will start gaining.

“Under the cooperative, the government will open fields for the farmers and offer seeds for planting and lastly the scheme was constructed and handed over to farmers,” Ongom says.

He says, he interacted with many farmers and confessed that though some of them suffered a setback but there were people who reaped big.

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Reconstruction of Tochi Irrigation Scheme resumes in Oyam district

OYAM – After farmers counted losses and deserted the Tochi Irrigation Scheme in Oyam district due to over flooding, Ministry of Water and Environment has recalled the firm which was undertaking the construction works to correct the defects.

The construction of a Shs 28b irrigation scheme to promote rice growing rendered the beneficiaries unconvinced after the contractor abandoned the site over unclear circumstances sparking off public outburst.

Its construction started in 2016 with funding from African Development Bank (ADB) strictly to boost rice farming, improve food security and fish farming. It was set to benefit 1,000 farmers from Acaba, Minakulu and Ngai sub-counties.

But farmers under their umbrella, Tochi Rice Growers’ Cooperative Society suffered a setback after some of their rice fields were submerged into water and crops swept off.

Richard Anyuru, the mobilizer of the scheme says the contractor, Ambitious Construction Company in joint venture with HV Devoc International have returned and started correcting defects which include; bush clearing, destroying anthills and opening channels which was not done.

He says with the new development, as Tochi Rice Growers’ Cooperative Society, the members have increased to 800 and are waiting for the completion of the scheme and kicked off planting for the first season.

“There were challenges in the construction work and the contractor has been recalled and has started work,” he said.

Anyuru says the cooperative has just completed only one year and they want every rice grower to register under the cooperative. Membership and registration fees according to Ayuru is Shs 60,000.

“You register at Shs 10, 000 and buy shares starting from Shs 50,000 and above if you are willing to be a fully recognized member,” he said.

The Acaba LC3 Chairperson, Charles Amuge said that as a leader, he was sidelined and denied opportunity to secure a plot in the scheme and had not been furnished with the information about the cooperative.

He further said when he demanded for a plot for rice growing, he was instructed to pay Shs 80,000, a move which he rejected.

“There are so many issues in that scheme and as a leader I completely don’t have any information about the scheme and the cooperative,” he said.

Last year, a total of 1,200 acres were apportioned and allocated to farmers but only 621 picked up and planted.

Efforts to reach Richard Cong, the Chairperson of Tochi Rice Growers’ Cooperative society to throw more light on the cooperative were futile as he didn’t pick our calls.

Chris Ongom, the district LC5 Councilor of Acaba said, though farmers experienced challenges last year, this year there is hope that they will start gaining.

“Under the cooperative, the government will open fields for the farmers and offer seeds for planting and lastly the scheme was constructed and handed over to farmers,” Ongom says.

He says, he interacted with many farmers and confessed that though some of them suffered a setback but there were people who reaped big.

https://thecooperator.news/gulu-city-councilors-petition-president-museveni-over-delayed-remittance-of-local-revenue/

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Parish Development Model: Minister Magyezi down plays need for legislation

The Minister of Local Government, Hon Raphael Magyezi has said, there is no need to put in place new legislation to facilitate the implementation of the Parish Development Model (PDM).

Magyezi appeared before the Local Government Committee where he presented the guidelines of the Parish Development Model.

The guidelines tabled before the committee has seven pillars namely; agriculture value chain development, infrastructure and economic services, financial inclusion, social services, and community mobilisation and mindset change.

The others are parish-based information management systems, governance and administration.

According to Magyezi, the model will be implemented through the Parish Revolving Fund which will be Shs 17 million per parish in the financial year 2021/22 and Shs100 million for the next financial year per parish.

According to Magyezi, they have a recovery mechanism which is the core of the programme.

However, Members of Parliament expressed dissatisfaction about the programme with many arguing that it was rushed without guidelines and adequate legislation.

Bukimbiri County MP, Hon Eddie Kwizera said, since the parish model is a long-term programme, there is a need for a bill by the government that will ensure its operationalisation.

“This is a long-term project and it requires a law; if someone mismanages the project, what will happen? The Attorney General needs to bring a bill to Parliament, the same way the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) program is working,” he said.

However, Minister Magyezi said, there is no need for new legislation for the parish model as they are already operating within the local governance structures and law.

“We are implementing the Parish Development model under the structures of local governments; we are currently working with the Attorney General, and we appreciate your guidance on the matter,” Magyezi said.

The Committee Chairperson, Hon Godfrey Onzima said it is unfortunate that serious government programmes start without guidelines.

“We don’t give time to systematically start our projects. People are being given Shs 17 million and roads are being opened but we are still working on the guidelines,” Onzima said.

Bugweri District Woman Representative, Hon Rachel Magoola said, the government is rotating around the same structure that has failed including Emyooga, Youth Livelihood Programme among others.

She added that the government needs to slow down and adequately plan for the programme before implementing it.

President Museveni launched the Parish Development Model last weekend. Under the program, this financial year, each sub-county will receive Shs 17 million and then receive Shs 100 million in the next financial year.

https://thecooperator.news/mbarara-city-launches-property-tax-validation-to-raise-shs9b-from-local-revenue-collection/

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Amuru authorities issue fresh ban on makeshift structures at Elegu Border Market

AMURU – Authorities in Amuru district have banned traders at Elegu Border Market from erecting new makeshift structures at the market following a fire outbreak that destroyed properties worth billions of shillings.

The fire which according to reports is the 30th incident since 2013 is estimated to have cost traders Shs 3 billion.

The 2:20am fire reportedly started from a makeshift shop where a trader was frying fish before it spread to other shops destroying merchandise in wholesale shops, drugs shops and produce premises among others.

Michael Lakony, the LCV Chairperson Amuru District said, traders will now be allocated plots on which they will construct permanent buildings instead of makeshift structures which are prone to fire outbreaks.

“We intend to shift the business community out of that place to a regulated area where each trader will be allocated a plot and they will utilize the plot for a longer time,” Lakony said adding that the district has 250 acres of land for that purpose.

The new area in question is 30 meters away from the current market.

“We intend to do it for the safety of traders and their properties. It will be regulated to stop fire outbreaks which have become routine,” he added.

Majority of the business premises in Elegu Border Market are made out of corrugated iron sheets for both the walls and the roof.

However in 2017, Amuru District issued a similar ban after fire destroyed property worth over Shs3 billion.

That ban was never effected as traders quickly rebuilt their makeshift structures and resumed business.

Lakony said that effecting the ban was hindered by several reasons including interference from presidential assistants in the region and non-compliance from traders to vacate the current premises where they were not paying any taxes.

The border town in Amuru district that has more than 2,600 traders mostly from Uganda lies just 100 metres from the South Sudanese border town of Nimule.

Lakony told theCooperator news that this time round, traders will be evicted if they refuse to leave peacefully.

“If they fail to heed to our directives, we will use minimum force to evict them,” he said.

The Chairperson also said they were starting work on the new market location immediately adding that a grader was to start clearing the area while registration of traders for easy allocation of plots had also been commissioned.

On Friday, a team from the committee of finance from Parliament visited the area to assess the damage left by the fire.

Kovuki John Idra-the L.C111 Chairperson Elegu Town Council supports the move saying, Elegu Border Market has been too congested making it difficult for access in case of fire.

“The market has been too congested with no access for vehicles. Our plan of the new market is that there should be access in case of any fire, fire brigade should be able to move and put out fire easily,” Kovuki said.

Okema Michael Opilo, a trader at Elegu Border Market welcomed the initiative but called on the Central government to build permanent buildings there.

“For us as traders, we are interested in doing business in Elegu so government should come out and build for us a proper market,” he said.

https://thecooperator.news/20-cattle-die-of-suspected-poisoning-in-lira-city/

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Amuru authorities issue fresh ban on makeshift structures at Elegu Border Market

AMURU – Authorities in Amuru district have banned traders at Elegu Border Market from erecting new makeshift structures at the market following a fire outbreak that destroyed properties worth billions of shillings.

The fire which according to reports is the 30th incident since 2013 is estimated to have cost traders Shs 3 billion.

The 2:20am fire reportedly started from a makeshift shop where a trader was frying fish before it spread to other shops destroying merchandise in wholesale shops, drugs shops and produce premises among others.

Michael Lakony, the LCV Chairperson Amuru District said, traders will now be allocated plots on which they will construct permanent buildings instead of makeshift structures which are prone to fire outbreaks.

“We intend to shift the business community out of that place to a regulated area where each trader will be allocated a plot and they will utilize the plot for a longer time,” Lakony said adding that the district has 250 acres of land for that purpose.

The new area in question is 30 meters away from the current market.

“We intend to do it for the safety of traders and their properties. It will be regulated to stop fire outbreaks which have become routine,” he added.

Majority of the business premises in Elegu Border Market are made out of corrugated iron sheets for both the walls and the roof.

However in 2017, Amuru District issued a similar ban after fire destroyed property worth over Shs3 billion.

That ban was never effected as traders quickly rebuilt their makeshift structures and resumed business.

Lakony said that effecting the ban was hindered by several reasons including interference from presidential assistants in the region and non-compliance from traders to vacate the current premises where they were not paying any taxes.

The border town in Amuru district that has more than 2,600 traders mostly from Uganda lies just 100 metres from the South Sudanese border town of Nimule.

Lakony told theCooperator news that this time round, traders will be evicted if they refuse to leave peacefully.

“If they fail to heed to our directives, we will use minimum force to evict them,” he said.

The Chairperson also said they were starting work on the new market location immediately adding that a grader was to start clearing the area while registration of traders for easy allocation of plots had also been commissioned.

On Friday, a team from the committee of finance from Parliament visited the area to assess the damage left by the fire.

Kovuki John Idra-the L.C111 Chairperson Elegu Town Council supports the move saying, Elegu Border Market has been too congested making it difficult for access in case of fire.

“The market has been too congested with no access for vehicles. Our plan of the new market is that there should be access in case of any fire, fire brigade should be able to move and put out fire easily,” Kovuki said.

Okema Michael Opilo, a trader at Elegu Border Market welcomed the initiative but called on the Central government to build permanent buildings there.

“For us as traders, we are interested in doing business in Elegu so government should come out and build for us a proper market,” he said.

https://thecooperator.news/20-cattle-die-of-suspected-poisoning-in-lira-city/

Buy your copy of thecooperator magazine from one of our countrywide vending points or an e-copy on emag.thecooperator.news

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