POOR STATE OF NEBBI-GOLI PAIDHA VURA ROAD IRKS PDM BENEFICIARIES

PATRICK OKABA

NEBBI. Parish Development Model (PDM) beneficiaries in Nebbi municipality have tasked government to tarmac Nebbi –Goli, Paidha Vura road.

They noted that with the poor inter district business connection; PDM will not yield its intended results of poverty eradication among the communities.

Speaking at the launch of PDM funds disbursement in Nebbi Municipality over the week, Jacob Okumu a resident of Nebbi town urged government to focus on developing infrastructures in areas with business potentials to ease marketing of products among others.

He noted that the poor road network is responsible for delays in transporting commodities of many businessmen.

“We all have business ideas but, the challenges on the ground is that, our roads are in poor state which can’t allow us to transact businesses smoothly and if the government wants the PDM program to excel, the inter district road network should be apriority“, Okumu said.

Another beneficiary Alice Fuambe says, apart from the poor road network in the region, they are presented with a challenge of taxes which are affecting their profit margins.

 “Government has good programs for us but they have failed to sort out the issue of poor road network, inadequate electricity distribution and multiples taxes on businesses and will they expect good returns from PDM beneficiaries if all aren’t sorted out”, Fuambe said.    

The LC3 chairperson ThaTha Division in Nebbi Municipality Jacklyn Opar said that, Nebbi Jukia Paidha road is one of the food basket roads in Northern Uganda which should be tarmacked in order to boast businesses for PDM beneficiaries.

She highlighted that, some of the elders who used to write to the government about the bad status of Nebbi -Jukia Paidha road are dead and this has remained a challenge to the younger generations whose business strengths thrive on good roads.

 “We have lost many lives on Nebbi –Jukia Paidha road and if not worked on, it will hamper the progress of businesses because both Ugandans and Congolese use the same road for business transactions and this has been a revenue boost to the country”, Opar said.   

Meanwhile Jovrine Kalisa , the Deputy PDM National Coordinator implored the district leaders to write about the bad status of Nebbi –Jukia, Paidha road to the Ministry of works such that the road is worked to benefit the PDM, beneficiaries.

For many years business people, political leaders and residents who frequently use this road have voiced their concern about the appalling state of Nebbi, Jukia, Paidha road to government but their pleas have-not yielded any positive results.