Business operators in
Panyimur Town Council, Pakwach district fear that they are likely to suffer financial losses with the temporary closure of Panyimur-Wanseko ferry.
The Panyimur ferry was the other alternative of crossing from West Nile with the suspension of the Karuma bridge for repairs.
The Uganda National
Roads Authority (UNRA) announced the temporary suspension of ferry services
early this week, after identifying a mechanical defect of the ferry. The defect had not been fixed by the time of filing this report.
UNRA advised
travelers to use alternative road routes through Murchison National Game Park via
Masindi to Kampala, and the Murchison Bullisa-Hoima route to Kampala.
Paul Kinobe,
Chairperson of the Panyimur Business Community described the ferry’s closure
as a severe setback.
He explained that the ferry has been playing a big role in facilitating the movement of agricultural goods and other commodities.
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Speaking in Alur
language, Rosaline Alinga, a businesswoman in Panyimur, shared her
apprehensions about the impact of the ferry’s closure on the region, fearing it
will reduce the number of travelers and ultimately slow down business
operations further.
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Alice Atimango,
another business operator in Panyimur said while the ferry’s suspension
has disrupted many, it has also opened new opportunities for water
transportation businesses, with local boat operators now benefiting from the
increased demand.
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According
to the traders, following the temporary closure, many traders from Hoima, Arua,
Erussi, Bulisa, Kagadi and other district are now unable to bring items like
agricultural produce which they used to do when the ferry was operational.
However, Robert Okumu, Pakwach
District NRM Chairperson and a resident of Panyimur, highlighted that the ferry
route had seen increased traffic following the closure of Karuma Bridge.
He pointed out that
many business operators dependent on the ferry are now idle, while passengers
are incurring additional costs close to 30,000 shillings to cross between Panyimur
and other areas using boats.
