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This came after the deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa tasked the Ugandan engineering fraternity to explain this high cost of public infrastructure projects.
This debate is not recent as its ignition happened way back in 2018 during the commissioning of the 51km Entebbe Expressway. The budget of this particular road happened to be Shs34 billion per kilometer compared to a certain Kenyan highway which cost Shs26 billion per kilometer.
Gen Katumba Wamala said these cost variations are dictated by variations in different factors. He said some of these factors include the terrain, acquisition laws, access to material and logistics especially relating to importing materials, among other factors.
However though, he has advised service providers to be more organized.
Local companies need to get organised
“It is a question of being organized because we are not short of expertise. What is lacking is then getting organized properly because as individuals, it may be difficult,” Gen. Katumba said.
He further said that one may find that our local companies may lack an organizational structure. He said most companies will say it is one person managing all sectors of the company which isn’t right.
“What is demanded when you are submitting the bid? You must show the company structure, who are in that company, and can we check on them, to see whether these engineers are registered,” he said.
Katumba said these issues contribute to local contractors missing out on viable opportunities. He therefore called on the local contractors to get their companies organized so they can compete.
Check also;
- Gov’t Suggests Shs2.2 Trillion Loan Request To Fix Greater Kampala Roads
- Local Leaders Blame Bad Roads On Poor Funding To The Road Sector
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![[dropcap]A[/dropcap] section of women in Bugongo parish and Nawangaiza parish in Nawandala Sub County, Iganga District have decried the near-impossible terms set for them to access GROW funds. They have now petitioned their woman member of parliament for Iganga Hon. Kauma Sauda Alibaawo to ask the government for revised terms and conditions. This is to enable them to benefit from the program. The disgruntled women accuse the implementers of the program of charging the money. They are also asking for their land titles and land agreements. They said that such properties are governed by their husbands. These, therefore want the government through their woman MP to intervene and revise the requirements for one to benefit. The women were on Wednesday at Namabwere primary school in Nawandala Sub County. They had gathered in their respective groups to receive over 300 chickens from Hon Alibaawo in her campaign to improve the livelihood of women in Iganga district. Each group was given 50 chicken as start-up capital in their journey to prosperity. Read what some leaders said; Ms Naigambi Lydia from Nawandala Trading Centre says, “They solicited money from us through opening bank accounts and depositing Shs80,000. They also asked for land titles and land agreements from us yet we don’t have such things. I was informed that I needed to have a business with a capital of Shs4m yet my capital was very small.” The chairperson Kisoboka Saving Group in Nawandala Ms. Nakagolo Faith said they were not able to join the program. This is given the many conditions attached. She also asked their woman MP to raise their concerns to the relevant offices. The MP condemned the mode of implementation of the program. She cited that it has turned to benefit the well-off class of women other than the intended group. She further asked the government to intervene saying the current strings attached to the programme are very tight to accommodate a common woman. GROW project is a Government of Uganda initiative that arose out of the need to respond to the needs of women entrepreneurs. This is especially those who want to grow their businesses, sustain their self-employment and create more jobs. Check Also; Iganga District NRM Leaders Urge Museveni To Fulfill Election Promises Of 2021 International Women's Day: Celebrating Progress Towards Equality](https://newslexpoint.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Iganga-women-decry-tough-terms-to-access-GROW-funds-e1731738339732.jpg)