The State Minister of Lands overseeing Urban Development, Obiga Kania, has instructed the contractor responsible for constructing two bridges in Arua under the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development Additional Financing (USMID-AF) program to finish the project by July 15 this year.
The Enyau Bridges project, valued at approximately 5 billion Ugandan shillings, is funded by the government through the USMID-AF initiative. It involves the construction of two bridges: River Enyau I on the Odia Nyadri–Congo Road in Arua district and Enyau II Bridge on the Awindiri–Ajono Road in Arua city. Initially slated for completion in June 2023 with an eight-month timeline starting from October 2022, the project has faced delays, resulting in two extensions.
Minister Kania issued the directive during a recent inspection of the bridge sites, where he discovered that the contractor, Niem Establishment Ltd, was absent from one site and had halted work on another without any evident progress.
Expressing disappointment over the sluggish pace of construction, Minister Kania highlighted the economic importance of the bridges, particularly for facilitating business activities with neighboring DR Congo. He emphasized the urgency of completing the projects, especially with the impending conclusion of USMID projects by the end of June 2024.
“The projects are crucial for the community, and I am disappointed because they needed more time when they should have been completed a year ago,” remarked Minister Kania. He urged the absent contractor to adhere to the directive and expedite the project, despite previous challenges cited such as financial and labor constraints.
Minister Kania also urged local development committees to intensify their oversight of such projects and advised authorities to prioritize competence and technical capability when awarding contracts.
However, Arua district engineer William Tiyo Oda acknowledged that although there have been delays, the quality of work done so far meets standards and the costs incurred are within acceptable limits. He cited challenges in meeting deadlines and identified deficiencies in specific aspects of the work.
Arua district chairperson Alfred Okuonzi echoed concerns over the delays but commended the minister for setting a clear deadline. He pledged close collaboration with the community to ensure that the remaining work is completed satisfactorily.
Community elder Levi Ejiku from Tilevu parish expressed growing impatience over the delays, emphasizing the community’s anticipation for improved infrastructure and economic opportunities upon project completion.
Earlier, Ateebe Bilai, an engineer with Niem Establishment Ltd, assured that the remaining tasks, including grading a one-kilometer road and leveling, would be completed promptly, with the bridges ready for commissioning by the specified deadline in July.
