Rains destroy 150 kilometres of roads in Omoro

Omoro, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Torrential rains have destroyed more than 150 kilometres of community access roads across the 12 sub-counties in Omoro district.

Residents are struggling to access services in different health centres, public markets and agricultural farms as the roads are too slippery characterized by deep holes filled with mud and logged water rendering them impenetrable.

Coupled with heavy traffic, the heavy rains have also destroyed roads that were rehabilitated during the financial year 2018/2019, 2019/2020 and 2020/2021. The roads include Alokolum-Ongako road (12.5km), Te-Olam-Dino (8km), Tochi-Atyang (16.6km) and Lalogi-Bariyo (7.5km). Other affected sections of the roads that connect the district with sub-counties include Acet-Binya-Chome (12.5km), Corner Agula-Orapwoyo (22.9km), Pida-Pageya-Labora (11km), Lakwotomer-Abole-Abili (12.5km), Abili-Abwoch (8km), Opit-Awor (11.3km), Lakwotomer-Keto-Hima (12.6km) and Lakwatomer-Keto (6.8km).

Caroline Nyakorach, the woman councilor for Lalogi sub-county says several expectant mothers in Laminonami village are unable to access Lalogi health centre IV for antenatal services and deliveries due to inaccessibility of the roads.

Isaac Odong, the LCV councillor for the newly created Lakwaya sub-county explains that due to heavy traffic and torrential rains, the nature of work to be done on community roads requires huge budgets that the sub-county cannot raise. He appealed to the district to relinquish some of the road networks to the Uganda National Roads Authority-UNRA so that it takes charge of upgrading more sub-county roads to ensure effective service delivery.

On Friday, Stephen Opiyo Lanek, the LCV Vice-chairperson presented a report of the District Executive Committee on the state of road networks. The report backed by a technical assessment of the District Engineering Department acknowledged that dozens of roads are in a bad state and require urgent rehabilitation work.

In the report, Lanek disclosed some of the roads that require urgent work. The roads include Odek-Lakim road (5.3 kms) in Odek sub-county, Kelo-Hima-Opil road (5.9km) in Lakwana sub-county and Ajuri Laminonami road (5.8km) in Lalogi sub-county.

Others are Te-Store-Hima road (5.2km) in Omoro town council, Abole-Obwola-Lacenotinga road (9.8km) in Koro sub-county, Palenga-Lelaobaro road (6.8km) in Bobi sub-county and Kal Centre-Patuda road (10.3km) in Ongako sub-county.

In the financial year 2021/2022, Omoro also approved the rehabilitation work on the 38.8km Labora-Laminadera-Idure-Loyoajonga-Orapwoyo-Acet town council road, Bobi-Wilacic (14.7km), Tochi-Atyang-Opit road (16.6km) and Minakulu-Okwir-Koroba road (10km).

The District Indicative Planning Figures for road works for the FY 2021/2022 stands at 376 Million Shillings meant for periodic maintenance, rehabilitation, road gang payments, emergency response and mechanical maintenance of 303 kilometres of roads.

Once rehabilitated, the roads are expected to improve farm productivity, increase production, ensure access to marketable farm products, access to markets and produce stores as well as link the various sub-counties to socio-economic centres in neighbouring Gulu, Pader, Oyam and Lira districts.

*****

URN