Oyam (Uganda) : There is excitement in Ngai sub-county, Oyam district, after the Oyam District Local Government Department of Works and Engineering kicked off a long-awaited project to rehabilitate the 12-kilometer Aryek-Opit road.
The road was last rehabilitated in 2015 and is currently in a poor state. With 1 billion shillings donated by the central government to the district for road rehabilitation, the Oyam District Local Government invested 100 million shillings out of the one billion for the rehabilitation of this road.
Simon Okidi, a businessman who uses this road for his business in Opit Town Council, Omoro district, believes that rehabilitating the road will greatly assist in easing movement among traders in Oyam and Omoro districts.
Walter Atoo, the Area Councilor for Ngai sub-county in the Oyam District Council, expressed appreciation to the Department of Works and Engineering of Oyam district for initiating work on the road, which was in a poor state.
However, Beatrice Okello, the female Councilor for Ngai, Abok, in the Oyam District Council, stated that the condition of the road has hindered development, especially trade, in Oyam district and Omoro Town Council. She added that pregnant mothers have faced difficulties accessing health services in facilities like Opit due to the poor road condition.
Dilla Benson, the Secretary of Works and Technical Services for the Oyam District Local Government, who also serves as the Chairperson of LC 5 Oyam District Local Government, explained that the delay in the road works was due to a lack of sufficient road funds released by the central government. However, he added that this financial year, Oyam district expects to rehabilitate 102 kilometers of roads out of the total 572 kilometers in the district.
