By Steven Enatu
KALAKI
The Soroti Deputy Resident District Commissioner, Francis Okwameri has warned contractors who are currently undertaking construction works in the district against claiming that they have a personal working relationship with H.E. Yoweri K. Museveni.
Okwameri made these tough remarks while chairing a site meeting at Apapai Seed Secondary School in Apapai Sub-county, Kalaki district on Wednesday, May 4.
He said, “I know there is a tendency of some contractors doing shoddy work and most importantly slow in their work claiming they are highly connected to the ‘Big Man”.
“I want to assure you that even outside this meeting there are people who can directly talk to His Excellency and the President gives them an eye. So don’t be deceived that you have a connection, simply do your work rightly,” he added.
Apapai Seed SS is being constructed by Bygon Enterprises Ltd – a Lira-based company at a total contract cost of Shs2,684,401,470/=. The agreement was signed on 29th November 2022 and the construction is expected to be completed on 14th June 2024.
However, the construction took a considerable amount of time before any meaningful work was seen on the ground. Bygon Enterprises Ltd is supposed to construct the following blocks; an administrative block, three units of classroom blocks, two units of science laboratory and a multipurpose hall for students.
Other construction blocks include ICT and library, three-twin staff houses and kitchens and drainable latrines (five stances for boys and two stances for girls then two stances for teachers with bathrooms for teachers’ quarters.
The District Chairperson, Samuel Okello warned the office of the Chief Administrative Officer against sleeping on the job but should take it upon themselves to supervise the technical persons like the Environmental Officer and the District Community Development Officer to ensure that they sensitise the community on the ongoing construction.
The visibly annoyed Okello called for the visitors’ book to crosscheck on how many times, the technical staff have been at the site inspecting the construction work.
“You see, these people have been last seen here on the date of the site handover and since then nobody has ever turned up here to see the progress of work,” Okello roared.
But William Emunyu stood on firm ground saying, “Give me time, from today, I am not going to sleep in my supervisory roles.” He tasked all the technical staff who have a duty to play in the construction of Apapai Seed SS to furnish his office with weekly reports.
Meanwhile, the District Vice Chairperson, Paschal Engwau gave a two-week ultimatum to the Contractor to see to it that they recruit local content.
“When I return here in two weeks’ time, I need to do a rollcall to see how many local people you have recruited”, Engwau said, adding, “It’s not only recruiting them but ensuring that you pay them modestly.”
However, the contractor, Bosco Okello claimed that the local people are too lazy to be recruited to do a demanding job like constructing Apapai Seed SS.
“Most of these people turn up one or two days and then disappear because, “It’s a rainy season, they go to attend to their farms.”
But Engwau listened to none of this. “How can a cook be brought from the Lango sub-region, what skill do cooks need to cook mere beans and cornmeal,” he wondered.
“I hear even a watchman, you have brought him from Lango. Your actions make your work very dangerous and insecure, in case locals turn rowdy,” he warned.
In conclusion, the Deputy RDC expressed optimism that the constriction is now taking the right path and assured the public that there will be no funds to be returned to Central Government on clumsy excuses that funds were not utilized, for work going on at the right speed!
