Otuke -The Ministry of Local Government, in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, has officially launched the construction of a 16.9-kilometre community access road in Otuke District under the National Oilseeds Project (NOSP).
The road, which links Ogor Village–Omwonylee Primary School–Atat Village and Ameri Market–Anik Market–Okore, traverses the sub-counties of Ogor and Okwang. It becomes the first official road launch under the NOSP, a flagship national initiative designed to enhance the oilseed value chain and improve market access for rural farmers.
Presiding over the launch, Otuke Woman MP Hon. Susan Jolly Abeja hailed the government for prioritising Otuke under NOSP.
She noted that for years, the communities had endured poor road conditions that hindered agricultural trade and access to services.
“This road will open up the region, connect our farmers directly to buyers, and eliminate exploitative middlemen. It is a game-changer for livelihoods in this district,” Abeja said.
The Ministry of Local Government's Permanent Secretary, Mr. Ben Kumumanya, was represented at the launch by the Commissioner for Local Economic Development, Mr. Anthony Namara. He underscored the government's commitment to integrated development under the Parish Development Model.
“This road supports Pillar One – Production, Storage, Processing and Marketing – and Pillar Two – Infrastructure and Economic Services. These are critical to transforming household incomes and improving lives across the country,” Namara said.
Constructed by M/S GAT Consults Ltd at a cost of UGX 1.63 billion (VAT inclusive), the road is built to Class III District Road standards.
It features a 7.3-metre carriageway with 100mm gravel surfacing and includes 49 culvert lines—26 of 600mm and 23 of 900mm in diameter—reinforced and encased in concrete for durability. The works are scheduled for completion by October 25, 2025.
The National Oilseeds Project, launched in July 2021 and running through September 2028, is jointly funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID), Heifer International, Kuehne Stiftung Foundation, and the Government of Uganda.
Covering 81 districts in 11 sub-regions, NOSP focuses on four major oilseed crops—sunflower, soybean, sesame, and groundnuts—through two components: value chain development and market infrastructure improvement.
The Otuke road falls under Component 2, implemented by the Ministry of Local Government, which targets 2,500km of Community Access Roads (CARs) nationwide.
The current Batch A includes 1,034km, with road designs developed in-house by NOSP engineers in collaboration with district teams and the Ministry of Works and Transport. The roads integrate climate-resilient measures such as engineered drainage, tree planting, and environmental safeguards.
Otuke’s 16.9km road is among 92 sub-county-level roads under Batch A. Community members provided land voluntarily under the Free Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) model. Once completed, the road will be maintained by the Otuke District Local Government with support from the Uganda Road Fund.
Speaking at the launch, NOSP Project Coordinator Hajji Yasin Sendaula applauded the teamwork among stakeholders and called on the local community to protect and take ownership of the road project.