Archive for category: Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

MBARARA – Mbarara district leaders led by their LCV Chairman Didas Tabaro have awarded 17 construction contracts to local companies worth Shs.1,148,476, 966.

Some of the companies that were awarded contracts include; Kamugira Seth Investments Ltd, Frambo General Services Ltd, Muhwezi Abert Construction Ltd and Extech Technical Services to mention but a few.

The contracts awarded came at a time when President Museveni had directed the Health and Education ministry to use the Army Construction Brigade to undertake all government development projects.

In his July 1, 2021 letter addressed to the Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni and Minister of Health, Jane Ruth Aceng; Museveni noted with concern that many government projects have stalled due to the lengthy procurement processes and other challenges like corruption by some unscrupulous government workers thus ordering the army brigade to take over the projects.

While commissioning the contracts at Mbarara district council hall, the district LC V Chairman noted that, local projects had been delayed because of the presidential directive allowing the army brigade to take over.

“The delay was because of the presidential directive that was affecting the commissioning of contracts from the Education and Health ministry where the army was supposed to take over. But midway, the President communicated that the contracts which are funded locally can always be advertised and awarded to local contractors,” Tabaro emphasized.

“Good enough the president’s communication came when we had passed through the procurement processes and we are among the first districts to award the contracts,” says Tabaro.

Tabaro warned contractors to be mindful of the quality work to avoid risks of being blacklisted in future.

“I call upon the service providers to make sure that they do quality work; failure to do so may lead to termination of the contract,” he said.

He also encouraged the contractors to consider employing locals in the communities whenever undertaking their contracts.

“For proper coordination and cooperation, they should always employ locals that were born within the area where the contract is being undertaken. At least, 80% of casual laborers should come from the community and whoever fails to comply may not be able to get another contract in the subsequent arrangements,” Tabaro warned.

Kasaga Edward, the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of Mbarara confirmed that the commissioned projects will benefit primary schools and health centres in the district in the financial year 2021/2022.

“We agreed that all projects of Mbarara district would commence by 1st December, 2021. We are constructing two classroom blocks and one staff quarter in each primary school in 11 schools,” Edward explained.

He also noted that, it’s the President who had delayed the projects to commence.

“We had delayed a little bit, simply because we had a circular from the president who wanted to know which projects are being constructed and those to be constructed by the military brigade,” Edward said.

The 17 projects in Mbarara will cost the government a total of Shs 114billion out of a Shs 1.4 trillion loan fund from the World Bank meant to construct a public primary school and health center IIIs in each sub-county countrywide.

According to the CAO, the said projects will be constructed in 11 primary schools and in a health centre III from the six sub-counties of Rubindi, Bubaare, Bukiro, Kashare, Kagongi and Rubaya.

Some of the projects include; a two-classroom block at Rukanja primary school in Rubindi sub-county, Out Patient Department (OPD) building, five stance VIP latrines and a placenta pit at Kashare HC III in Kashare sub-county, a 3-unit staff house at Kitengure Primary School in Bukiiro sub county among others.

https://thecooperator.news/gulu-regional-referral-hospital-gets-new-maternity-ward/

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KIKUUBE – Farmers in Buhimba town council and sub-county in Kikuube district have rejected cassava inputs which were supplied to them by Operation Wealth Creation (OWC).

The farmers in Buhimba town council rejected more than 55 sacks of cassava stems while those of Buhimba sub-county rejected 50 which were delivered three weeks ago at Buhimba community hall. They rejected the input on grounds that they were of poor quality and the inputs are currently drying up at the hall.

Musa Mugisa, the Mayor of Buhimba town council said, apart from the inputs being of poor quality, they were supplied late when the planting season was nearing the end hence there were fears they could not germinate.

The farmers supported by the Mayor demanded that the supplier takes back the poor-quality cassava inputs to avoid wastage of tax payers’ money.

They blamed the continued mess in the implementation of OWC program on lack of involvement of local leaders, district technical department and the beneficiaries in the selection of suppliers for the inputs.

Mugisa says, the cassava inputs were meant to be given to the farmers who were hit by the hailstorm in Kikuube district in May this year but shockingly they were supplied recently as the season was ending.

James Murungi, a farmer, said that late delivery of the cassava inputs has been one of the major challenges affecting the success of OWC.

He noted that even maize, coffee and beans are always supplied late and the farmers end up not benefiting from the program. He further demanded that OWC officials change their mode of operations.

Captain Benjamin Mugonzagane, the Coordinator OWC Kikuube and Kikuube district Production Officer, Barnabus Ntume defended themselves saying, they are not in-charge of procurement of the inputs.

They explained that procurement is done by NAADS secretariat adding that the role of the district and OWC is to receive and supply the inputs.

Mugonzagane noted that they cannot determine the quality of the inputs and time for supply because they do not get involved in the procurement process.

“The District production department receives the inputs from the NAADS secretariat, then the district hands over the inputs to OWC to deliver to the farmers,” said Mugonzagane.

Ntume said, Kikuube district received 1,220 sacks of cassava inputs adding that only Buhimba town council rejected the stems.

He blamed the leaders and the farmers for failing to communicate in time that they were interested in the inputs, noting that farmers in other sub-counties received and planted the cassava stems while others missed.

“We would have given these cassava inputs to those who missed, if you had informed us in time before these inputs dried up,” said Ntume.

The Kikuube Resident District Commissioner, Amlan Tumusiime who was invited to witness the rejected inputs condemned Brice Ajuna, the supplier for supplying poor quality agricultural inputs.

Tumusiime vowed to make sure that the supplier refunds the money that was paid to him by the government or else be arrested.

He described the supplier’s act as corruption, noting that such people are the ones failing the government program initiated to help citizens in fighting against poverty.

He also proposed that OWC should be given full responsibility for carrying out procurement to improve on the program.

https://thecooperator.news/opm-donates-food-relief-to-farmers-affected-by-hailstorm-in-masindi/

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