ROAD CONSTRUCTION WORKERS STAGE SIT DOWN STRIKE OVER UNPAID SALARY ARREARS

By Nancy Aol

Adjumani

Worry engulfed Adjumani residents as construction works of 3.1 kilo meter road undertaken by Rock Trust Construction Company limited under Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructural Development -Additional Funding (USMID-AF) at a cost of 10.3 billion Uganda Shillings stales due to a sit-down strike by the on-site staff who allege delayed payment of salary arrears for the last three months.

The staff say they have had numerous meetings with the managing Director who promised to offset the arrears within a week and this was not effected.
In August, Adjumani district key stakeholders called for a review meeting of the project where several recommendations were submitted including expediting of the roadworks since the road construction was projected to last six months ending December 2023.

This project review meeting was convened as tempers were very high especially from the community members who accused the company of shoddy works.
Aber Lilian Gloria a student who chose to work and raise her school fees says she does not know how she will go back to school, since she was banking on this money to pay her school dues.

Mania Sally  also working with Rock trust as a sociologist noted that there have been several discrepancies with their working conditions including coercing them to sign contracts in less than 5 minutes. “What happened on ground is issues of salaries, we joined on different days and months but since then our stakeholders from the district and from Ministry of Lands and housing had a meeting with us some one month ago, they emphasized on issues of salaries and contract signing but up to now we don’t have salary,” Mania said.

Walter Ojamu  another staff said that they cannot continue working without the payment of their salaries because this has affected him so much, “ when you look at now, this  is the time children are supposed to report back to school and we don’t have money which can support that, secondly looking at home issues we are supposed to feed home and you are away from home you don’t know what is happening, sickness is there you have to handle all those things and once you don’t have money how can you handle such situation”

However, Mr. Sembatya Francis the contractor Rock Trust construction limited who was not on site during the sit down strike, out rightly denied the allegations accusing media of malice and witch hunt.

USMID -Additional financing is program implemented by the Ministry of lands, Housing and Urban development.

COVER PHOTO: Staff of Rock trust during the sit down strike. By Nancy Aol