Lira, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The management of Adwila Primary School in Lira district has set tough conditions for the District Covid-19 Task Force to utilize the school playground as a parking area for transit truck drivers.
It comes after the Lira district Covid-19 Task Force gazetted Adwila Primary School playground to host the truckers plying Soroti-Lira-Gulu Highway to stem the spread of the coronavirus disease.
Normally, the truckers would park in areas around Uhuru bar, Jinja Camp and Odokomit trading center along Juba road. The school management has set several demands before surrendering the playground for use by the truckers.
The management has among other asked the Task Force to fence off the playground, establish separate toilet facilities for the truckers, two water points and extend power to the school compound.
They have also asked the task force to commit to renovating the classroom blocks, plant grass in the compound, continuous disinfection and provide protective gears to both pupils and teachers when the drivers stop using the area.
Patrick Lukas, the School Management Committee chairperson says they have had a bad history of hosting people who mismanage the school and leave in sorry state.
He cites the 1979 war when the liberation army camped at the school, used its resources and facilities and left them in a sorry state.
He reasons that until their demands are met, they will not allow the truckers in the school premises.
Vincent Luka, who operates a grocery shop right opposite the school says the task force promised to meet their demands before bringing the truck drivers the school.
He believes this is the reason why the truckers haven’t showed up more than a week after the school was designated to host the trucks.
Milton Odongo, the Lira Resident District Commissioner who also chairs the Task Force says the community demands are already before the National Task Force pending approval.
He however accuses some local leaders of politicizing the matter saying they risk arrest.
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