Joy and Jubilations in West Nile as government inks contract to connect the region on the national grid, this comes after prolonged meetings and deliberations over the need to have the region connected to the grid.
West Nile has for a longtime been agitating for the cause and as promised by the government. Government of Uganda, through Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL) in partnership with Exim Bank of China have been undertaking the construction of a 600MW Hydro Power Plant at Karuma, which is nearly completed. UETCL was mandated to construct interconnection system to evacuate power from Karuma and feed into the national grid. Most importantly to increase power supply and accessibility to northern Uganda which includes (West Nile, Acholi, Lango and parts of Karamoja) with various substations . SMEC International PTY Ltd, Air Water Earth (AWE) and Associated Engineers & Surveyors were deployed as consultants who prepared the Compensation and Resettlement Action Plan in the affected area where the transmission lines had to pass to reach the desired destinations.
Hon Mary Gorreti Kitutu the Minister for Energy and Mineral Development, who represented President Museveni at the signing ceremony assured the people of West Nile through their Members of Parliament about government's commitment to have the region on the national grid to spur industrialization and job creation for the people. " We are resolved and focused on ensuring our brother and sisters who entrusted you to be their leaders see your hard work on this project" she noted. The singing ceremony was attended by State Minister for Energy Hon Simon Dujanga, Hon Evelyn Anite, State Minister for Privatization and Investment who doubles as patron of Voice of West Nile Electricity Connectivity Committee, which prominent sons and daughters of West Nile, from all sectors that was established to lobby, coordinate efforts and update on the progress of connectivity to the national grid, which is chaired by reknown city lawyer Caleb Alaka, Vice Chair, Arua businessman Jackson Lee Atima, who is the chair Chamber of Commerce Arua, Secretary General Mr. Adomati Dickson and Mr. Matua Job Richard, a vibrant cadre of NRM government.
Hon Anite thanked President Museveni for always fulfilling his promises to the people of West Nile and Uganda at large. "If you remember he started with tarmac from Karuma to Oreba border, electricity though it has not been sufficient for the much needed investments, our Referral Hospital, now Arua City, all these and others which he has promised to us" she noted
Other MPs from the region included Hon. Atiku Bernard, Hon. Angundru Moses, Hon. Odria Sunday, Hon. Ayaka Rose, Hon. Shonga Lawrence as members of WestNile Parliamentary Caucus. " We became part of Uganda almost 100 years ago. But it is today that we feel we are now Ugandans" said Caleb Alaka
"We as business community are so delighted for this tremendous milestone to connect us to the national power grid, it has always been our desire to have it, we have a great potential to become a major business and industrial hub to serve our people and our neighbors DRC, South Sudan and Central African Republic which is also not very far. So the market for our locally produced goods is readily available, and this has been as a result of our continued agitation and engagement with relevant offices in government" noted Jackson Atima.
The connection according to the chairman Board of Directors Uganda Electricity Transmission Company (UETCL), Dr. Ocanda, is expected to be done within six months. The Electricity which is 132KV is to have four sub substations at Kole, Gulu, Nebbi and Arua, and will go a long way to transform West Nile in particular and Uganda in general. Present at the singing ceremony were representatives of World Bank, UETCL which is the supervises of the project for transmission lines.
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