The Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LOP), Hon. Mathias Mpuuga has expressed shock upon a discovery of abandoned public projects but with little effort from the leadership to recover public funds.
Mpuuga who is with a section of Opposition Members of Parliament on an oversight visit to West Nile region, on Tuesday, 0 4 April 2023 made spot checks on road construction projects, schools and a health centre in Adjumani and Moyo districts.
“You can inevitably see the run-away corruption incubated in Kampala hatching in these communities…the abandoned school facilities, incomplete health centres, all closed and incomplete by contractors,” Mpuuga told journalists as he concluded the first leg of his three day visit.
Most shocking for the MPs is Dufile Seed Secondary School where government put about Shs2.1 billion for construction of classrooms, computer and science laboratories and staff quarters among others.
According to the school’s head teacher, Edward Okudi, the contractor, Achoru United Traders Limited abandoned the project and locked some of the classrooms and staff quarters accusing government of failure to pay.
“We are worried that anytime, he might come and lock the administration block,” Okudi said.
The laboratories were left incomplete and some of the classrooms were partially roofed.
The same scenario was noticed at Arra Health Centre.
“This is our country and all of us have a duty to fight and ensure that Uganda’s hope, pride is restored and not to give up and surrender the country to the corrupt,” Mpuuga noted.
“Our oversight visit is intended to best understand the living conditions of the people, to check on key places where public funds are spent…critical infrastructure in roads, health centres and schools,” he added.
Former Obongi County Member of Parliament, Hassan Kaps Fungaroo cited a need for transparency and accountability in government projects to ensure good service delivery and development.
“Service delivery in the sub-region is very poor because of corruption. The infrastructure put up to provide services like health facilities…many of them are incomplete,” said Fungaroo.
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