Christopher Balmoi Omara, the Gulu City Engineer told URN in an interview that most public and private infrastructures in Gulu City as well as other parts of the country do not last long due to the lack of quality designs, and poor constructions materials, and insufficient supervision.
Evelyn Mukonyezi, the Gulu City Senior Physical Planner revealed that the new Physical Development Plan is more detailed than the current plan and has catered for the different land uses like Industrial Parks, airports, cemeteries, forest reserves, high and medium density residential, urban agriculture, bus parks, and terminals, among others.
Alex Otema, the Chairman of Keyo Road Business Community told URN in an interview that they were told about the digital revenue collection system last year during registration for local service tax. He says that no one has sensitized them ever since then on how the system works, something leading to tax evasion.
According to the Division’s revenue performance report for the first quarter of the 2021/ 2022 financial year, only 384.7 million shillings local revenue was collected between July and September this year out of the estimated 2.62 billion shillings.
Christo Omara Balmoi, the Gulu City Engineer told URN in an interview that the City Council had earmarked 50 million to repair some of those broken solar street lights under the Uganda Road Fund in this financial year but that the delay in the release of the second quarter funding has frustrated their move since they had planned to start work mid last month.
The IG recently directed all public officers in the country including elected leaders from Chairperson LCIII to make a declaration of their wealth or poverty before August 7, 2021.
Gulu City was elevated from a municipal to city status in July last year but its new details had not been fed into the IFMS by the Ministry of Finance. This has greatly weighed down and hindered the utilization of money in its bank accounts.
Andrew Ogwetta Otto, the City Councilor for Pece –Laroo Division North says due to lack of funding, a lot of Village COVID -19 Taskforces have become discouraged. He appealed to the City Clerk to speed up the process of having the disbursement used.
Jimmy Oyoo, the Speaker of Pece –Laroo Division in Gulu City says the council agreed that the councilors would borrow and the Division would deduct 135,000 shillings from each councilor’s allowance of 280,000 shillings monthly for between 28 to 54 months.
Geoffrey Komakech, a farmer in Gulu City told URN in an interview that they petitioned the RCC after all their efforts to recover their money from Gulu District Agriculture Department failed to yield results. He says that they also handed a copy of their petition to the Gulu District Chief Administrative Officer for intervention as well.
Alfred Okwonga, the Mayor Gulu City reveals that the low revenue collection is due to leakages in the collection process. Okwonya noted that at Layibi Market in Bardege- Layibi Division where there are over 100 vendors, the contractor only remits Shillings 300,000 monthly to the City Council implying that he collects only Shillings 10,000 a day from only about 10 vendors.
Six candidates have expressed interest to contest for the position with three from the NRM and two from Forum for Democratic Change and an Independent candidate.
Patrick Kinyera, the Gulu District Secretary for Works and Technical Services says that the rehabilitation will close the gaps of maintenance of the roads in the District.
For about six decades, locals in the area temporarily patched the bridge with wood logs and pieces of timber to facilitate trucks transporting goods and traders to markets in Lango and Acholi sub-regions for instance livestock markets in Amach and Amugo in Lira, Amwaa in Oyam and Elegu in Amuru.
Charles Canowira, the Pawel Central Village Chairperson in Gulu City East Division revealed that they play unimaginable role in the delivery of services to the community such as security, settlement of disputes and monitoring of government projects among others yet they cannot afford basic necessities.
Edward Kiwanuka, the Gulu City Town Clerk says that the fund will construct more than 7 roads in the City totalling 7.788 kilometres. The roads include Oola Lubaro road, Vincent Opiyo road, Francis Barabanawe road, Lakana Odongkara road, Onono road and Nelson Mandela road.
The decision follows an outcry from the community who accused the factory owners of disposing of liquid wastes in the open hence, causing foul smell and health risks.
Through their umbrella body Gulu City Business Association, the local business owners say they have greatly contributed towards the growth of Gulu that ultimately earned it a City status, therefore they should be rewarded with some tax incentives.
