Over 70 residents of Mundo Cell in Roma Ward, Obongi Town Council, have petitioned the RDC (Resident District Commissioner) of Obongi over a 40 million shilling “ghost” tree planting project in Obongi Town Council.
The over 70 residents are accusing the Acting District Forest Officer of Obongi District Local Government, Mr. Rongum Tair, of defrauding them by taking their funds for buying trees for the Mundo Wetland Restoration Project under DRDIP in 2023, but has never supplied the trees since then.
The Chairperson of the Mundo Wetland Restoration Project, Mr. Akim Diliga, told the Obongi Resident District Commissioner that Mr. Rongum Tair took over 15.6 million shillings for tree seedlings and illegally deployed one, Afayo Mudashir of NCOPART, Yumbe, whom he directed them to give 23 million shillings as “expatriate fees” for the installation of culverts, even though he was not even a mason and later admitted he had no knowledge of construction, after which he mysteriously disappeared.
The RDC of Obongi, Samuel Mpimbaza Hashaka, went to the site earlier this week to verify the allegations and discovered that not even one tree was planted.
Hashaka, who was accompanied by members of the Mundo Wetland Restoration Project who stormed the Obongi RDC’s office, promised to take immediate action regarding the “ghost” project and the embezzlement of the 40 million shillings.
The Acting Obongi District Forest Officer could not be reached for comment as his phone was unavailable by press time.
