By George Emuron
BUKEDEA:
The Ministry of Works and Transport has sent a team of engineers to carry and conduct an inspection of the cut off, dilapidated and damaged bridges in Bukedea district.
The delegation was sent on Saturday 13th, Aug 2022 headed by bridge engineer expert, Engineer Patrick Osele.
Among the inspected bridges are Chodong-Kotoluk bridge, a seven kilometer road which was cut off five years back and it has not been reinstated.
Another is Kodokoto Bridge which connects Bukedea to Kidongole Sub County but is in a dilapidated state.
Tajar Bridge which connects Kamutur to Bulambuli district has not been worked on and finally Amujeju Bridge which was washed and cut off by the recent heavy rains.
On the inspected bridges, about seven people were fragmented and several injured and one death in Tajar Bridge.
Michael Okwi, the Bukedea district works secretary said the district has no capacity to work on the four inspected bridges since most are in big swamps.
“We tried as a district to put budget allocation in order to reinstate some of these bridges but you find that the district budget could not fit”, said Mr. Okwi.
Jackson Ojekede, the Kamutur sub county chairperson said the Amujeju washed-out bridge has made the locals to resort to using local boats as a means of transport to access the sub county services.
“If you do not have one thousand shillings, you will not be allowed to board the boat to cross, business has been paralyzed since locals cannot cross the water,” said Mr. Ojekede.
Engineer Patrick Osele, the bridge expert said according to their findings, the four bridges need immediate action since majority of the locals are cut off.
He said the Tajar Bridge which connects Kamutur to Bulambuli district is the pipeline and the construction is expected to commence in next year’s financial budget.
