A week-long inter agency inspection of World Bank funded infrastructure projects in six mid-western local governments is under way.
The projects that include roads under construction are in the regional cities of Hoima and Fort Portal, including Kasese and Mubende Municipalities.
Others are the refugee host districts of Isingiro and Kamwenge, where the World Bank funded projects comprising of Class-1 Gravel roads (50 km), 2-markets and 2-community resource centres worth shs57 billion combined.
Olive Nalugo, a project engineer with USMID AF noted that "local governments have since received their disbursements. We expect progress to be faster and projects completed on time."
The inter-agency inspection team verifying the civil works of the local government projects intended to commissioned by end year includes the Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry of Lands, local government, PPDA, Uganda Road Fund and NEMA.
These form the Programme Technical Committee of the World Bank funded Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development(USMID) concluding a $360 million intervention by of 2023.
Gonzaga Mayanja, the Commissioner for Refugees in the Office of the Prime Minister advised the contractors that "all specifications particularly steel and culverts must be installed as per the contract details."
The Isingiro District local government projects have a deadline of October to complete the gravel road works, markets and resource centres worth shs57 billion combined.
The Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry of Lands, Ministry of Local Gov't, PPDA, NEMA and Uganda Road Fund; are part of the Programme Technical Committee inspection civil works for the road projects.
Environmental safeguards are critical element among pillars under the USMID Projects funded by the World Bank.
The respective contractors are being encouraged to plant trees along and around the infrastructure projects.
A section of the local community are also asking the contractor for the Rushasha road sector (Block Technical Services) "to ensure access to water streams used for household and livestock are enhanced after the completion of civil works," according to Fred Tumwesigye, a resident of Ndyajonjo in Rushasha sub-county.
Kyabuzaare Market
A community market is being built at Kyabuzaare, Isingiro district, comprising of lockups and markets.
However, progress is said to be at 45%, implying that the level of mobilisation remains very low.
"We have run out of time and our finding is that the work progress is behind schedule. This is very serious with under two months now left to the end of this particular contract," Eng. Olive Nalugo, of the USMID AF Programme cautioned.
Gonzaga Mayanja, the Commissioner Monitoring and Evaluation in the office of the Prime Minister, highlighted the need for the contractors to use steel and related inputs as per the contracts signed.
"In supporting local content or contractors, we must see the inputs as quoted in the contracts. Quality work should not be compromised at any stage," Mayanja, advised.
"We are concluding construction of 55 lockups, 112 market stalls and an administration block. We are hoping to finish within the extended contract period of 29th October 2023," David Namanya, a site manager with Shine Africa, the contractor for the shs3.2 billion Kyabuzaare market project.
Rushasha Resource Centre
This facility estimated to cost 800million shillings will serve many purposes including day today operations of the sub-county, local council and communities.
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"We are here to ensure that we are meeting the timelines of these project. We export electricity power connection to be installed as quickly as well," Eng.Nalugo said.
Another project within Rushasha sub-county is a sh3.81 billion community market that includes also 56 lock-up shops and 112 stalls to support local communities in generating production and improving on their incomes.
The interventions by the World Bank under the refugee window is worth $60m for the projects in the 11 local governments that currently host refugees.
Besides Isingiro District, other local governments implementing similar projects that include Gravel class 1 roads, community centres and markets are Kamwenge, Kiryandongo, Terego, Arua, Lamwo, Obongi, Yumbe, Madi-Okolo, Adjumani and Arua.
