Yumbe: World Bank funded projects failing to meet timelines

Nearly half of the at 15 socio-economic projects is Yumbe districts that were funded by the World Bank are failing in their implementation time lines.

The projects fall under the Uganda Support to Infrastructure Development Programme (USMID) targeting refugee hosting communities.

They are worth Shs 120 billion from the World Bank.

The contractors include Spider, Tidan and CMD; who were awarded contracts worth Shs 12.3 billion to construct modern markets, resource centres, recreational centres and green parks.

Asiku Abdultwalib Asiku, the district chairman of Yumbe expressed remorse over the slow construction works in Yumbe.

"Under the USMID Program, we have received Shs 32 billion because of the various facilities we are constructing. But we want these contractors to perform as the programme is ending in a year's time," Asiku said.

"These contracts need to be given to local contractors compared to external actors who are actually not performing. We might arrest them and confine them since these are taxpayers' resources," he added.

The minister of state in charge of Urban Development, Obiga Kania who is currently inspecting progress of the project said they will ensure some of these projects are either scaled down while others could be abandoned.

"We cannot keep working outside timelines even when resources are disbursed to the contractors," Kania threatened.

Vincent Karema, the commissioner for Physical planning in the Ministry of Housing said whichever allocation has been earmarked will still be disbursed.

"We want full utilisation of these monies. Contractors should stop pulling their legs in these civil works," he said.

Among the sub counties hosting the current civil works underway in Yumbe includes Kululu, Bijo, Odravu, Kulikulinga and Ariwa.

The World Bank is funding the $30 million interventions that include construction of modern markets, resource centres and recreational facilities in West Nile.

They are aimed at reducing the socio-economic welfare pressures that communities hosting refugees in the sub region are currently facing.

Yumbe, Terego, Madi-Okolo, Adjumani, Moyo, Obongi among others are integrated under the USMID AF Programme.