Pader, Uganda – Three years down the road, a milling machine donated to the locals in Porogali sub-county, Pader district in 2019 rots in Pader central police station after it was retrieved by the Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Mr Milton Odongo following an alleged diversion of the machine by some district leaders for their own use.
Porogali sub-county locals have further expressed their anger during the visit of the Aruu North MP Santa Okot upon the stalling of the installation of their embattled milling machine under police custody after it was confiscated on the orders of the in 2022.
Mr David Odongkara, the Porogali LC 3 confirmed the reports saying the locals are very angry over the delayed installation of the machine. “The locals are suffering yet they have a machine at the Pader CPS which needs to be installed. By now, the locals could have saved some money if the machine was in use,” he added.
However, Okot noted that the machine to be installed needs a power supply and a transformer for its installation. Okot pledged to follow up the machine installation with the Prime Minister, Hon Robinah Nabbanja.
This comes after several pledges by the country’s ministers including the Minister of State for Northern Uganda, Hon Grace Freedom Kwiyocwiny and State minister for Animal Husbandry, Hon. Bright Rwamirama who visited the district.
Kwiyocwiny during her monitoring visits to Pader district on 14th January 2023 promised to install the milling machines.
The machine was retrieved by police on orders of State minister for Animal Husbandry, Hon. Bright Rwamirama who on Wednesday, 6th September 2020 during a full council meeting said the government intervention is to improve livelihoods of the locals.
The milling machine was delivered to district on 19th August 2019, under the Community Agricultural Infrastructure Improvement Program (CAIIP) by The Agriculture ministry through the NAADs secretariat to promote grain value chain development in response to a request by the community.
