The road is a major business route serving as the main connection to West Nile, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It has however been in poor shape for several years, with many of the road sections having developed large potholes and gullies, often paralysing normal traffic flow.
Emmanuel Orach, the Nwoya district chairperson told members of the community on Friday that this is one of the initiatives to see that Nwoya district go green adding that it is a great stride to saving the environment.
Geoffrey Opiyo, a commercial rice farmer in Got Apwoyo Sub County told URN that last season he lost 20 acres of rice which were eaten and stamped on by some of the stray elephants.
The road connects Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo stretching from Karuma in Kiryandongo district through Olwiyo in Nwoya district and Pakwach-Zombo in the West Nile.
Pravin Kekhal, the Executive Director Burkona Factory explained to URN that they were driven by the increasing demands for firewood and charcoal for home use and commercial purposes which has led to the massive destruction of trees and forest cover in the country.
John Michael Acire, a farmer in Tangi Village disclosed that together with his households they have now decided to sleep in the garden and endure the colds of the nights to drive away from the elephants from further destruction on their farmlands.
Joshua Odong, a regular transporter along the Gulu-Kampala highway, observed that Karuma which was built in the 1960s during the colonial era is notorious for killing travelers because it does not have the requisite safety standards.
UWA on Sunday issued a flood alert indicating that the floods have submerged the ferry docking points at Paraa crossing making it impossible for the ferry to operate across the Nile river.
