PAIDHA TOWN COUNCIL LAUNCHES CONSTRUCTION OF PROTECTIVE CANOPY TO SAFEGUARD MARKET VENDORS

The structure is set to complete in one month’s time. Photo/Mike Rwothomio 

By Mike Rwothomio
Zombo

Hundreds of vegetable vendors at Paidha Central Market in Paidha Town Council, Zombo District, are experiencing renewed operational confidence following the Paidha Town Council’s initiation of the construction of a permanent protective shade structures. These structures will shelter the vendors operating in the local market.

The initiative represents a strategic response to the vendors’ long-standing exposure to adverse climatic conditions, including intense solar radiation and recurrent heavy downpours.

Leaders are optimistic that it will safeguard the vendors’ revenue-generating activities, which collectively provide substantial fiscal inflows to the council through daily tax remittances.

Pascal Kumakech, Chairperson of the Finance Committee at Paidha Town Council, addressed journalists on-site during the project’s monitoring over the weekend, confirming the allocation of dedicated budgetary resources to foster the project advancement.

“This initiative underscores our commitment to enabling uninterrupted vendor operations in this market” Kumakech stated.

He projected project completion within a 30-day timeline, emphasizing adherence to efficiency benchmarks and cost-effectiveness protocols.  “We have mobilized resources to deliver this facility on schedule, ensuring tangible value realization for all stakeholders,” he added.

Dubbed the “food basket of West Nile,” Paidha Central Market serves as a regional commercial hub, drawing traders from across West Nile, northern Uganda, and eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Its competitive edge stems from an abundant supply of high-volume agricultural commodities such as matooke , avocados, beans, maize, dried cassava, coffee, Irish potatoes, and sweet potatoes , offered at subsidized market rates .

Despite these progressive enhancements, infrastructure challenges persist, including a significant portion of the facility comprising mud-walled structures with deteriorated, corroded, and leaking roofing systems dating back to the 1980s.

Kumakech outlined a multi-phased modernization roadmap, positioning the new structure as a flagship deliverable in the council’s vendor- growth strategy. “Our phased implementation plan addresses core  points,  We remain steadfast in executing this mandate,” he affirmed.

Financially, the market demonstrated robust performance in FY 2022/23, generating UGX 230 million in revenue, a trajectory projected to escalate to UGX 286 million annually, reflecting an 18.3% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) post-commissioning of a new market block in 2023. This uptick is attributed to enhanced infrastructure development thus boosting higher transactional activities.

Vendors, who for long have been vocal about trading conditions, endorsed the council’s proactive intervention, advocating for accelerated execution amid seasonal risks.

Joyce Afoyocan, Chairperson of the Vegetable Vendors Association at Paidha Main Market, articulated prevailing disruptions from sunshine exposure and Heavy downpour while praising the initiative as a pivotal, long overdue process.

“Our vendors go through a lot of challenges as far as shelter in this market is concerned. Both the rain and sunshine lands on us here, we thank the council for starting this” Afoyocan remarked.

A cabbage vendor, known locally as Skol, welcomed the move, urging speeding   on-ground mobilization. “We urge the council to scale workforce deployment to mitigate rainy-season delays”

Oversight of the construction rests with the council’s Engineering Department and the budgetary specifics remain undisclosed.

In 2023, leveraging UNCDF funding, the council commissioned 30 modern lock-up retail units, significantly elevating the profile of the   market.

Innocent Godfred Onega, LCIII Chairperson of Paidha Town Council, reflected on the administration’s transformative agenda since 2021 in an earlier interview.

“As stewards of public mandate, our legacy hinges on enduring infrastructure legacies rather than unnecessary expenditures. This project exemplifies high-impact service delivery that will resonate across generations.” Onega said.

Established decades ago by local entrepreneurs, Paidha Market has helped grow many successful businesses. This lively, diverse marketplace lets small-scale entrepreneurs climb the ladder by joining supply chains, given it’s strategic location in a cosmopolitan town which is home to over 40,000 people and sits less than 3 kilometers from the DR Congo border.