Story by Osuta Yusuf
Arua District – On Tuesday, June 11, 2024, officials from Red Cross Uganda, along with technical and political representatives from Arua District, conducted a monitoring visit to the motorized water project in Ayiko village, Ayayia Parish, Ajia Sub-county.
The 900 million shilling project, contracted to Cornerstone Design and Engineering Company Ltd, is funded by the Netherlands Red Cross through Uganda Red Cross. The contract duration for the project is two months.
Ecodu Michael, the Red Cross Project Manager, explained that Ayayia Parish was selected to benefit from the project based on a needs assessment conducted by the NGO.
The project’s contractor, Eng. Michael Ssegona, assured stakeholders that the construction work would be completed by the coming weekend. However, this statement raised concerns among the monitoring officials as the current progress stands at approximately 80%.
Patrick Odongo, the Arua District Water Officer, noted that the Arua District local government had initially invested 48 million shillings to start the project before partnering with Red Cross for its implementation. He expressed optimism that the facility, once fully completed and commissioned by the end of June 2024, would significantly improve access to safe water in Arua District.
Arua District RDC Mr. Okiswa Geoffrey described the selection of Ajia Sub-county for the water project as an excellent choice. Despite expressing discomfort over the project’s delay, he emphasized the importance of avoiding shoddy work. A joint meeting with the involved stakeholders resulted in an agreement to extend the project completion timeline by 14 days, rather than the 7 days suggested by the contractor.
Designed to last for 20 years, the completed project will supply water to four villages—Ayayia, Ayiko, Aya Alivu, and Biachichi—all located in Ayayia Parish, serving a population of approximately 3,100 people.