By KT Reporter
The Minister of State for Works and Transport, Musa Ecweru, has promised the people of Agago expeditious work on the security road, which was started in the district last month.
Work on the 80km Odom-Adilang-Kworiken Longor was launched on February 19th. The road aims to improve security in the borderline sub-counties near the Karamoja sub-region.
During an inspection tour of the road on Thursday, Ecweru revealed that the government had skipped all the processes regarding public works, such as tendering and procurement, to expedite the work.
Ecweru believes that the opening of the security road will spur development in the area, as it will not only ease the work of security men pursuing cattle rustlers but also connect business people to markets.
The expeditious work on the road follows a directive from President Yoweri Museveni to the cabinet that work on the security road should start immediately, after numerous appeals from leaders and locals about its importance in averting cattle raids by Karamojong.
Ecweru pledged to formally communicate to the Ministry of Water to support the installation of boreholes in the area to facilitate the settlement of people around the road if they wish and aid its development.
Beatrice Akello Akori, the state minister for economic monitoring in the office of the president, expressed gratitude that the pledge for the road, which was made 20 years ago, is finally being fulfilled.
She revealed that the Ministry of Finance has allocated 800 million shillings for opening the standard security road, and 500 million Shillings was also released to start the work.
The remaining 300 million shillings, she said, will be given in the next financial year to complete the work.
Leonard Ojok, the chairperson of Agago district,t is optimistic that the construction of the road will boost agriculture in the district and improve people’s livelihood.
Tereza Angom, a resident of Odom Central Village, is happy that the road will help link them with areas with good business opportunities, which will in turn spur development in the area.
It is hoped that when completed, the security road will limit the cattle raiders from easily accessing Adilang, Laperebong, Laimuto, Lapono, Paimol, Omiya Pacwa, Parabongo, and Ajali sub-counties that suffer most from the raids-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
