ARUA CITY SUIDAC PROJECT STAKEHOLDERS URGED TO COLLABORATE

Stakeholders during cities alliance mission engagement with Arua City Council at the council hall on Thursday, 28th May. (All photos By Erema)

By Erema George

Arua City

Stakeholders working with the cities alliance in implementing the sustainable urban integration of displacement affected communities (SUIDAC) project in Arua city have been urged to work together to sustain its positive progress and ensure its success.

During cities alliance SUIDAC mission engagement aimed at providing support to Arua city on the ongoing SUIDAC project among other areas of focus, the project was commended for its positive progress registered so far. However, stakeholders called for double efforts for a successful service delivery for the beneficiaries.

Cities alliance in-country coordinator Mara Forbes calls for joint efforts in order to catch up with time that was taken up by the political season.

“We’re a little bit behind because it took us a little long because the national government had to sign into the grant support agreements as well as the city clerk, so right now it’s very crucial that we work together to try to catch up with time that got a little bit delayed during the political season, elections and handover. I know a lot of work has been done and there’s a lot of collaboration between the city, the local organizations and ACAV but I want to encourage us to keep up with that coordination and collaboration to see how we can catch up with some of our time,” She said.

Arua city deputy mayor, his worship Jackson Dratibi assures of the positive support from the new political leaders towards the project and implores the technical wing to play their respective roles, ensuring that the project doesn’t fail in Arua city.

The deputy mayor for Arua City, His Worship Jackson Dratibi.

“As a new council I am pledging on behalf of the mayor, on my own behalf and on behalf of the entire council that we shall not allow this program you have given us generously to fail and I want to implore the technical officers who are responsible in various departments not to let us down. His worship noted.

“Do everything possible to make sure that you are very perfect because giving this project back to us is dependent on how well we have performed. If we perform badly, we’re not the only people; they will take this project away from us. The leaders who have been sworn in, if we see this project been taken away because of laxity and incompetence of some of our staff, we shall be very sorry.” He added.

The project manager, Moses Acole called on the workers to revise their working schedules by giving much of their time for the project work if they are to beat the project deadline for its timely delivery.

“When it comes to project management, when you see things are not moving very well, and it’s coming to the timeline, you increase the working hours so that you can manage some of the time very well. Come early and leave late until you stabilize so that you can start your normal things and also carry out implementations concurrently to save time.” Acole stated.

Meanwhile the project accountant, Yuda Alitibo tasks the CBOs and the department heads to utilize the funds disbursed and ensures timely accountabilities to the monies.

“My task is to the CBOs and heads of department, we have transferred money to you and by 30th June if all activities are not done, if all the accountabilities are not done, we shall red flag you.” Alitibo emphasized.

The SUIDAC project is a 3.4 billion UgShs project funded by the European Union currently in its second phase aimed at improving the integration and resilience of displacement affected communities through urban development.