Minister of Lands , Housing and Urban Development Hon. Judith Nabakooba has carried an on the spot inspection of various on going roads development projects under the multi-billion USMID program in Fort Portal city and Mubende districts and directed that work should be completed on the set timelines . The USMID-AF project being implemented by the Ministry of Lands in over 30 cities, municipalities and selected refugee hosting districts is set to end in December 2023.
While inspecting the road works in Fort Portal tourism city Nabakooba regrated to note that the projects implementation was behind schedule and asked the contracts to double efforts to ensure their contracts are completed on the agreed timelines .
“Fort Portal is still behind, I realised mobilisation of equipment has just started, the impact assessment is just being done, the communities are also being sensitised meaning that the actual works have not yet started. Government has already committed funds and we shall not accept delays in project implementation . We want work done so that the Ugandan people have enjoy these facilities which are meant to spur economic growth and national development ,” the Minister stated .
Nabakooba attributed the delayed project implementation in Fort Portal city to poor communication and poor coordination between the technical and political leadership. “To me this is a big challenge. I have given the mayor and head of technical staff three weeks to see how they can put their house in order to enable us to begin the project works , “she explained .
Innocent Ssekizivu, the Mayor Mubende Municipality thanked the government of Uganda for having considered Mubende municipality to be added on the urban centers to benefit from the USMID-AF project. He said Mubende has gained a lot from USMID with resources being provided for urban physical planning, garbage management and the roads that are to be constructed .
“So far we are in the final stages of completing two roads and another 5.8 kilometres are to be constructed . We are going to construct a market and a park plus the beautification of the Mayor’s gardens. All these have been achieved through the USMID funding. We are very grateful for this,” he said.
The mayor said that Mubende has 324 kilometres of road coverage and most of the roads still need improvement.
In Mubende, minister Nabakooba re-echoed the issue of meeting deadlines . Ugandans are expecting results that’s what we promised in the NRM manifesto. They know the president gave them roads but when you go on ground and road construction has not started then it beats the whole purpose of what the president wished for the people in this area.”
The minister assured the residents that she will continue to monitor the progress of works .the minister met local leaders who had convened for a workshop on the dissemination of the municipal solid waste management strategies in USMID-AF. She commended them for driving the agenda of looking at USMID as a project that is changing the face of urban centres, not only the roads but the general outlook of cities and municipalities.
“We want to create ownership and active participation of members of the public because they are the ones that generate waste and should have a strategy on how to dispose it.”
