Amuria Locals Reject Gov’t Livestock Market; Say Contractor Did Shoddy Work

Locals in Wera County in Wera Town Council Amuria District have rejected the livestock market constructed by the government of Uganda with funding from the European Union, citing nonfunctional water system and poor fencing.

The traders voiced their observations on the new market to the Minister for Teso Affairs Dr. Celement Ongalo Obote, who was in the area monitoring government programs.

Silver Odeke, the councilor representing Wera Central ward in Wera Town council, said that the work done by Time Trader Transporter Limited, the company contracted to undertake the market construction, did shoddy work.

He said the market’s nonfunctional water system and poor fencing undermine the value of money spent on the project.

“We are not receiving this project, they have to rectify the faults,” Odeke said.

Pancras Abara, the speaker of the Wera Urban council, said he is very disappointed by the work done by the contractor noting that government and funders have put in enough money “but the outcome of the money injected is not being seen.”

Locals say the water system at the market is not functional, neither is the fencing.

Kokas Erusu the finance secretary of Amuria District, said that the project is under the Ministry of Teso Affairs with funding from The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF).

The Wera livestock market project received over Shs 430million under the local gov’t excellent fund, counterpart funding approved by the district council of 190million under Discretionary Development Equalization Grant (DDEG) and conditional grants for production and marketing worth Shs 36 million.

“All this was injected into the market being questioned by the community for the value of money,” Erusu said.

Erusu, however, noted that the project is now largely complete except the problem with the water system.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Teso Affairs Dr. Ongalo Obote promised to revisit the project and gather views from the community and stakeholders so that the errors can be rectified.

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