Teachers Demand government on Hard to Reach Allowance

By Robert Ariaka

Arua April 30, 2016

Teachers posted to teach in hard to reach areas are demanding government to consider them for hard to reach allowance.

Speaking to URN, Kazmiro Eyobi, a teacher of Ayavu primary school in Ogoko Sub County says, due to long distance, some teachers who are not accommodated within the schools fail to concentrate.

He says once teacher in the district sub counties are paid allowance, they will be able to use the money to cater for transport especially where the school has poor accommodation for teachers.

Cue in: “Challenges of accommodation”

Cue out… “Much about that”

Eyobi says the school has eight teachers including the head teacher, but six are accommodated in poor houses forcing the teacher to opt residing from their homes and travel long distances to teach.

Ogoko Sub County is 80km away from Arua town and most of the teachers posted abandon the sub county over hard living conditions.

Florence Munduru, the deputy head teacher of Roga primary school in the contentious Ewanga sub county Arua district says, teachers who are posted in the far parts of Arua district abandon teaching because they find it hard to settle.

According to Munduru, paying hard to reach allowance will help retain teachers in the far areas and also make it easy for them to visit their families.

Cue in: “Because these teachers”

Cue out… “They will settle”

She says out of 13 teachers posted in the school, only six are available while others have left due to hard living conditions.

Acia Marino, the DEO Arua says, government has not considered teachers in Arua for hard to reach allowance yet some health workers are considered. He appeals to the political leaders to lobby government to provide money for teachers posted in hard to reach areas.

Acia identified the most deserted areas by teachers as Ewanga, Rigbo, Pawor, Rhinocamp, Ogoko, Anyiribu, Offaka, Logiri and Adumi Sub Counties in Arua district.

He says once teachers are paid hard to reach allowance, they will be able to use the money to settle their families and also be able to visit their homes on monthly basis.

Cue in: “Their observation is correct”

Cue out…. “By the government”

He says for now, the teachers are not paid hard to reach allowance which makes it a challenge to control them.

Currently Arua district has a total of 26 government aided secondary schools, 34 private secondary schools while there are 246 primary government aided primary schools in Arua main and 16 in Arua municipality.

End.

Locals Task West Nile Leaders to Demand Government on 1.5km Kiakia Bridge Construction

The spot where Kiakia bridge is to be constructed on River Nile and Enyau swampsto link Arua Yumbe and Moyo districts in West Nile region

Locals Task West Nile Leaders to Demand Government on 1.5km Kiakia Bridge Construction

By Robert Ariaka

Arua April 27, 2016

The construction of Kiakia Bridge which links the three districts of Arua Yumbe and Moyo to Juba in South Sudan is raising concerns as the local residents in the area are challenging their leaders to demand government to construct the Bridge.

Kiakia Bridge which is expected to cost 3.4 billion shillings was budgeted in 2011/12 financial year for construction but to date it has not been implemented. Kiakia bridge which is one and half kilometer is located on a point where river Eyau joins River Nile.

For one to access the two sub counties of Rigbo and the contentious Ewanga in Arua, the person has to cross via river Nile on a motor boat at a cost of 10,000 shillings while the alternative route is for one to travel from Arua via Yumbe to reach Ewanga which is 120 km at a cost of 15,000 shillings.

Once the bridge is constructed, it will link the three districts of Arua Yumbe and Moyo. Patricia Oyerua resident of Rigbo sub county a dealer in fish business says once you buy fish, it becomes difficult to transport them from Ewanga to Arua since they have to first use water transport to cross from Ewanga to Rigbo using a motor boat on river Nile before joining road to connect to Arua town.

She says the absence of the bridge makes business people suffer in transporting their fish to Arua where the biggest market is found. According to Oyeru, if the bridge is built, it wills easy movement via Rigbo to Ewanga, Yumbe and Obongi in Moyo district.

Faima Letiru the female councilor elect for Ewanga and Rigbo sub counties to Arua district says the swamp from River Enyau has divided the two sub counties and it was already planned for construction.

She says once the bridge is constructed, it will solve the issue of accessing the two sub counties since both Arua and Yumbe have faced challenges in extending support in terms of service delivery.

Cue in: “Ewanga has a big challenge”

Cue out…. “From Arua district”

Letiru says once she assumes office, she will ensure that Arua district local government follows up the matter with central government where Uganda National Roads Authority will responsible for the construction of the bridge.

Night Odaru, from Ewanga who is also a fish dealer says, road transport is in accessible since they roads are bad and they have to access water transport on river Nile to access Rigbo.

According to Odaru, when they want to cross from Rigbo to Ewanga or Obongi, they sometimes wait for hours as they wait for a boat to cross the river.

She says, once the Kiakia Bridge is constructed and maintains the road connecting Arua to Yumbe via Rigbo and Ewanga, transpot costs will be cheap compared to the long route from Arua to Yumbe.

Cue in: “Kiakia Bridge”

Cue out… “Means of transport”

Ogama Ali Ismaial, the MP elect for Lower Madi Okollo County where the bridge is located says he will ensure government takes the bridge for construction to avoid the long distance of traveling to Yumbe to access Ewanga Sub County.

The MP for Obongi County Hassan Kaps Fungaroo says as leaders affected by the absence of the bridge, government needs to prioritize construction of Kiakia Bridge to ease road access from Arua to Yumbe and Moyo direct to Juba in South Sudan.

“Kiakia Bridge is a project government should take into consideration since it easily connects to South Sudan” Fungarro said. He says, the people living along the river Nile belts are mostly surviving on fish business and for government to gain more revenue from the fish industry; access road and bridges need to be constructed to boost economic activities.

Fungaroo says, his is a worker and needs results regardless of party differences and appeals to the ruling government leaders to unite for a common development. Fungaroo says, the way forward to lobby Kiakia Bridge is to ensure all the MPs need to unite regardless of party differences. He says West Nile leaders fight themselves and forget fighting for development.

Simon Ejua, the former minister for transport says, the bridge has been on budget, but the money was not remitted. He says, the issue of the bridge was already considered and needs to be followed up by leaders to ensure the bridge is constructed.

End.

Local Leaders Reject Splatered Ferry For Arua and Amuru on River Nile

By Robert Ariaka

Arua April 27, 2016

Local leaders of Rhino Camp Sub County in Arua district have rejected a ferry donated to them by Allan Kagina, the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) Executive Director.

The Ferry was part of President Yoweri Museveni’s pledge for the people of Madi Okollo County in Arua district.

Kagina, who earlier visited Rhino Camp landing site promised to fulfill the Presidential pledge after elections.

“The Ferry will help to link the two districts of Arua and Amuru via River Nile.

When the February elections ended, Kagina acted by directing officials of UNRA to reassemble the old Ferry formerly at Laropi landing site in Adjumani district for the people of Rhino Camp.

However, on learning of Kagina’s second hand ferry being assembled at UNRA head office in Arua, the locals, through their leaders, rejected the offer.

Droma Atilio, the councilor representing the people of Rhinocamp to Arua district council says the ferry which is currently been assembled at Arua UNRA offices is an old one which was formerly in Laropi and not meant for the people of Rhinocamp.

He says, a presidential pledge can’t be an old machine arguing it’s a junk ferry which will not last.

According to Atilio, the new ferry which was meant for the people of Rhino camp was diverted to Adjumani and the old ferry of Adjumani was brought to fulfill the Presidential pledge.

Abiko Jane Rose, the female councilor for Rhincampa and Rigbo says they will not allow the people accept the ferry but rather allow them use their motorized boats.

Currently the ferry which is at Arua UNRA parking yard is been painted with a black color.

“I can’t allow my people to drown in River Nile because of this old Ferry. If the government is not in position to give us a new Ferry, let the offer be,” Droma argued.

Droma accused some government officials of covering up people’s demand for a new Ferry for fear of losing their jobs.

Earlier on, Kagina promised to have the Ferry operational by May this year.

The RDC Arua Peter Dibele, recently appealed to the people of Rhinocamp to accept the ferry.

When contacted on phone, the Busoza Abakari, the acting station manager UNRA Arua says he is not in position to speak about the ferry on conditions that he has been transferred to Gulu.

The ferry which is been painted is currently scattered at Arua UNRA office.

End.

Political Interest Manipulating Ewanga Sub County Conflict

By Robert Ariaka
Arua April 27, 2016

The fight on the newly created and non-operational Ewanga Sub County in Arua district is largely caused by political interest and ambitions.

After the creation of the sub county in 2005, it was meant to be operational in 2010 under Arua district local government. However, ministry of local government stopped the operation of Ewanga after
leaders of Yumbe district protested and claimed Ewanga belong to Yumbe.

The LCV chairman Yumbe district Taban Yassin claims, Ewanga is a parish under Odravu Sub County in Yumbe district arguing, they will not allow it to be taken by Arua district.

Taban claims, Arua district is forcefully grabbing Ewanga from Yumbe. He also accuses the ministry of local government for its delay to pronounce self on the contentious Ewanga sub county in Arua district.

Cue in: “Pertaining the issue of Ewanga”
Cue out… “Under the map shit of Rigbo”

The chairman says the ministry failed to communicate and declare where Ewanga belongs when the matter was presented before them thus causing conflict on ground.

According to Taban, the GPS machine shows that Ewanga Sub County belongs to Yumbe yet Arua district is currently taking authority and administration of the sub county. He claims Arua district is forcefully grabbing Ewanga from Yumbe and threatens to mobilize people against the government if it is pronounced in under Arua.

The chairman says if the people of Ewanga want to live in Arua, they will force them to vacate the place claiming it is under Yumbe not Arua.

Candiga Micheal a resident of Ewanga Sub County says, the conflict started due to its position where it is blocked by river Nile and river Eyau which makes it difficult for the leaders in Arua to access it.

He says, the construction of the bridge may easy the access from Arua making it easy to provide service and access to market for produce.

According to Candia, the 1992 census exercise Ewanga was mapped in Yumbe since there was no access from Arua.

Cue in: “Ewanga is occupied”
Cue out… “Access that has created all this”

Sabo Kamilo, the councilor for Aroi Sub County and secretary for finance who participated in the creation of Ewanga Sub County on February 24, 2005to create Ewanga sub county out of Rigbo Sub County, approved by ministry of local government in 2009 and was meant to be operational in 2010. He says all activities and government programs in the sub county are under Arua district.

He says as they created Ewanga Sub County, they considered the aspect of the Madi speaking people who belong to Arua not Yumbe. According to Sabo, Yumbe claiming Ewanga will not work arguing it is a political grabbing which some individual politicians in Yumbe use to prolong the conflict?

Sabo says, the creation of Ewanga Sub County was as a result of complications faced in accessing the place since it is cut off from Rigbo by River Nile. When Yumbe district created Ariwa Sub County, it was operationalized in 2010, but Ewanga was stopped from operating due to the standing conflict.

Cue in: “I was a member of the council”
Cue out… “To deliver service”

In 2011, local leaders were elected in Ewanga Sub County but they were not sworn in to work and service delivery in the area is conducted by Rigbo Sub County which is in Arua district. In the 2016 general elections, the leaders were also elected waiting searing in.

According to Sabo, in this coming financial year, ministry allocated 153 million shillings as indicative planning figure which they are following up with local government ministry to ensure they local leaders are sworn in to operate.

He says, the access to Ewanga is blocked by the absence of Kiakia Bridge where river Enyau joins River Nile.

The chief Administrative officer Arua Esau Ekachelan says, Arua is responsible for the administration of Ewanga in providing services since its existence and there is no claim to consider Ewanga in Yumbe.

Cue in: “When I come here”
Cue out… “Arua district which has been doing it”

The unresolved conflict of Ewanga is crippling service delivery as the sub county still receives service under Rigbo the mother sub county in Arua district.
End