The Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament (LOP), Hon. Mathias Mpuuga is shocked at the discovery of abandoned government projects, but little effort by management to recover government funds.
Mpuuga, who is on an oversight visit with a group of opposition MPs in the West Nile region, on Tuesday, 04 April 2023, carried out on-site inspections of road construction projects, schools and a health center in Ajumani and Moyo districts.
“You can inevitably see the runaway corruption incubated in Kampala in these communities…abandoned school facilities, deficient health centres, all closed and underrun by contractors,” Mpuga told reporters as he wrapped up the first leg of his three-day visit.
Most striking to MPs is the Dufil Said Secondary School, where the government has allocated about Sh2.1 billion to build classrooms, computer and science labs and staff quarters.
According to the head teacher of the school, Edward Okudi, the contractor, Achoru United Traders Limited, abandoned the project and locked some classrooms and staff quarters, accusing the government of non-payment.
“We are worried that at any moment he may come and block the administration block,” Okudi said.
The laboratories remained incomplete, some of the classrooms were partially roofed.
The same scenario was observed at Arra Health Center.
“This is our country and we all have a responsibility to fight and ensure that hope, pride is restored to Uganda and not give up and hand over the country to the corrupt,” Mpuuga noted.
“Our control visit aims to better understand people’s living conditions, to check the main places where public funds are spent… the important infrastructure of roads, health centers and schools,” he added.
Former Obong District Member of Parliament Hassan Kaps Fungaru noted the need for transparency and accountability in government projects to ensure good service delivery and development.
“Service delivery in the sub-region is very poor due to corruption. The infrastructure put in place to provide services like health facilities… most of them are deficient,” Fungaru said.
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