The United States soldiers in conjunction with the UPDF Civil military department, and the United Nations Development programme (UNDP) have completed the construction of the cheapest Water Dam ever in Karamoja for the local community in Moruita sub-county, Nakapiripirit District.
The dam which is 300 by 500 feet in size is built at a record cost of only 48 million shillings compared to other smaller dams that were previously constructed in various parts of Karamoja at inflated costs ranging from sh400 million to sh4 billion.
Moruita Dam was constructed using labour intensive means were communities were hugely employed in the digging and providing the necessary unskilled labour force.
“The community did not only get some money from the dam construction but also own the dam having taken part in its construction” said Capt Henry Obbo, the UPDF 3rd division spokesperson.
Capt. Obbo said the Dam has a capacity of 1,560,000 cubic Liters and can water up to 180,000 animals through the six months droughts that Karamoja region experiences annually.
“The pastoralists can use this dam for a long time of the dry season. By the time the rains begin falling again, there will still be water in the dam,” he said.
“We started this as a pilot project to experiment how we can provide the most required resource, water, without necessarily using too much funds. The American Civil affairs department provided us with all the fuel we required and expertise advice whereas UNDP provided funds for the work” Obbo added.
UNDP coordinator for Karamoja region, Mr. Pamela Metagaro said the scheme is aimed at experimenting how best the Karimojong communities can make good use of the available resources in the region.
While inspecting the accomplished dam over the weekend, Ms Metagaro told district leaders that the involvement of UNDP is in line with the Karamoja Integrated Disarmament and Development program.
She said other projects currently being conducted by UNDP in Karamoja includes; constructing a car washing bay, training communities on bicycle repairs, including animal and crop husbandry.
“These are all aimed at providing alternative livelihood to the disarmed warriors and improving household incomes.” She said
She added that “The same dam will also supply irrigation water for vegetable growing within the vicinity to the local people. It will also serve as a unity/peace dam because it is located at a point that will serve both the Pian and Pokot who have been great rivals”
Unstill Last year, the government had injected up to 11 billion shillings to construct a number of valley dams in Karamoja, but when president Museveni visited the place recently he expressed disappointment with the work done. Most local leaders complained that the real number of dams which were funded had not been built and even the ones in place were dry. The president promised to follow up the money- how it was used.
No comments:
Post a Comment