Residents of Geregere and Opota trading centers in Agago District can finally breathe a sigh of relief as the government launches a solar-powered piped water project valued at 183 million Ugandan shillings. After a week-long standoff due to concerns over disrupting their existing water source, locals have agreed to the project following successful sensitization efforts by district leaders.
The new system will be installed at Opota trading center, a densely populated area with over 250 households currently relying on just one water point. The project, which will feature 12 taps across four locations, aims to address the severe water shortages that have long plagued the community.
Godfrey Otto, the Geregere village chairperson, hailed the initiative as life-changing, noting that locals often trek long distances to Kuywe and Onyuru to fetch water. “This project will reduce the suffering of our people, especially in densely populated areas with very few water points,” Otto said.
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Bosco Nyeko, the Geregere sub-county speaker, acknowledged that initial opposition stemmed from poor communication about the project. “We have now sensitized the community, and they fully support the initiative. The borehole will be tested to ensure it can handle solar pumping,” Nyeko explained.
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According to Agago District Water Officer Engineer Emmanuel Oroma, the project falls under the 2024-2025 financial year and aims to improve water coverage in the district. While the Ministry of Water and Environment reports Agago’s water coverage at 95%, Oroma clarified that this figure is based on outdated data and does not account for many non-functional water points. Current district estimates place coverage at 75%, highlighting the urgency of such interventions.
The solar-powered system is being implemented by Benzak Infrastructure Development (U) Ltd under the guidance of the Ministry of Water and Environment and the Agago District local government. The initiative is part of a broader effort to construct four water schemes across different sub-counties in the district.
With construction set to begin soon, Stanley Odong Richard, Secretary for Works and Technical Services in Agago, expressed gratitude to the locals for their cooperation. “This project will transform lives by providing clean and reliable water to communities that have long struggled with scarcity,” Odong stated. The system’s installation marks a significant step in tackling water shortages, promising a brighter future for the people of Geregere and Opota.