Heavy rains paralyze transport in Acholi

Nwoya, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |   Transport has been paralyzed along major roads in Nwoya and Omoro Districts following heavy rains. 

Several trucks transporting perishable goods to markets in Gulu, Amuru, West Nile and South Sudan are stuck in Lii, Alero and Kochgoma Sub-Counties in Nwoya District. Other community access roads in Pabbo in Amuru District and Aswa County in Gulu District have equally been rendered inaccessible.

Denis Odongo, a resident of Lii Sub-County, says that annually between April to October, communities in Nwoya especially farmers and traders are frustrated by the appalling road which affects business.

Beatrice Akanyo, a trader observes that the roads are characterized by broken culverts, bridges and thick mud which have left several trucks transporting agricultural commodities to the market stuck for several days.

Nwoya LCV Chairperson Patrick Okello Oryema says they have failed to maintain the community access roads due limited financial resources, adding that they have engaged Uganda National Roads Authority to no avail.

In neighbouring Omoro, several roads that include Koro Abili-Abole-Lakwatomer road, Col. Walter Ochora-Lapainat Tetuku-Labora road, Opit-Awor road and Lakwatomer-Lamino-Opabo-Lakwana road among others have paralyzed traffic.

William Ocitti, the Ongaka Sub-County Chairperson in Omoro says concerned residents in Ayita-Konya-Kiting village, Patuda Parish has embarked on charity work to improve the accessibility of community access roads using hand hoes.

Omoro LCV Chairperson Douglas Peter Okello disclosed that accessibility of Sub-Counties like Odek, Lalogi, Lakwana, Bobi, Ongako, Koro, Omoro Town Council and the newly created Aremo Sub-County, Akidi Sub-County, Acet and Palenga Town Councils have become extremely difficult.

Okello reveals that equally in the poor state are district roads from Bobi to Labworomor; Lela-Obaro-Wii Lacic road that connects Omoro with Nwoya and Lamino-Onami-Bario road that connects Omoro with Oyam District.

Omoro currently has 303 kilometre of road networks that are in a poor state and requires at least 35 billion shillings to carry out maintenance and rehabilitation work to improve the transport system. Poor roads across the Acholi sub-region have hindered trade, especially in agricultural produce.  

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