ZOMBO RESIDENTS PROTEST PLAN TO SHIFT SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT

Community from the five neighboring villages in Yada Parish, Jangokoro Sub-County, Zombo district want the school be developed to help their children. Photo by Mike Rwothomio

By Mike Rwothomio

Zombo

Hundreds of residents from Yada Parish , Jangokoro Sub-County, Zombo district, have protested the proposal by the Councillors under District committee of social services,  to shift from Ajigu primary school, a  construction project of three classroom blocks including an office,  to Awasi Primary School due to lack of access road.

The district had planned to undertake the construction project at the government-aided Ajigu primary school, to directly address the challenge of dilapidated and ailing infrastructure at the school.

Ajigu primary school established by the community in 2000 and taken over by the government in 2019, sits on approximately seven acres of land donated by the community. It is located just a distance from DR Congo border.

Sadiki Onencan, the chairperson social services committee for Zombo district while presenting the committee report and recommendation on the first quarter performance report for financial year 2024/25 fiscal year, on December 18, 2024, at the district council hall, noted that the school construction project can’t proceed due to inaccessibility of the place.

Additionally, the committee recommends that committee of works and technical service should plan road opening to ease access to the school, or else the project be shifted to the neighboring Awasi primary school in the same Parish, to avoid the funds repatriation to the national Treasury.

“The committee recommends that work and technical service committee should plan for road opening to access Ajigu Primary School in the financial year 2025/26, while the project for Ajigu for financial year 2024/25 be shifted to Awasi primary school in the same Parish so that planned money is not returned to central government due to non-utilization, ”  Sadiki explained.

The school which stops at Primary five level, is amongst 92 Public Primary schools in Zombo, and has an enrollment of over 600 learners drawn from Uganda and DR Congo.

It suffers from deep-seated challenge of dilapidated and condemned structures, exposing learners to greater risks.

COMMUNITY RESPONSE

Vincent Odaga, the LCI chairperson of Zani village where the school is located noted that, “upon getting complain from the district about accessibility, we mobilized community and worked on the road up to this school, how can the district say the trucks can’t bring construction materials here”

Scovia Acaye, a mother to three children studying at the school expressed disappointment with the district, saying “I feel so disappointed that they want to take the project to another school yet this is also a government school that should be developed”

Okumu gasper, a clan leader in the area, wondered how the construction of a three classroom blocks were undertaken in 2012 at the same school, calling upon the district to come clean on the issue of this project.

Ajigu primary school has seven teachers under government pay roll and one facilitated by the parents, according to John Bosco Ocamgiu, one of the teachers at the school.

According to available information, a section of teachers and learners access the school a few meters after crossing via  DR Congo,  due to the poor road network.

David Binen  Arua, male district councilor  of Jangokoro Sub County, rejected the committee’s recommendation, noting that there is already access road created by the community,  labeling the decision as ” uncalled for and disappointing”

The female Councillor of Jangokoro Sub-County Jacinta Acen, called upon fellow Councillors to understand the significance of equitable distribution of resources, to fend off marginalization of some citizens in hard-to reach areas.

Rupiny Douglas, the district Councilor for Padea Town Council, described the proposal as a plot to deny social services to the people of Ajigu,

DISTRICT RESPONDS 

The district council speaker Hassan Ringtho, during the council sitting on December 18, commended area Councillors and community for partnering to open up road to ease accessibility to the school, calling for continuous team work and patriotism.
The LCV chairperson of Zombo District James Oruna Oyullu, said “Am happy to announce that they have worked on the road, I also informed the security team on works that will take place in Ajigu Primary school.”