ARUA DISTRICT COUNCIL APPROVES UGX 1.3 BN SUPPLEMENTARY BUDGET FOR SEED SCHOOL COMPLETION

By Onzoma Albert

Arua City

Arua District Council approved a supplementary budget of UGX 1.3 billion for construction works at St. Peters Seed Secondary School Aliba under the 2025/2026 financial year.

Since the project’s inception in 2023, the district has paid a total of UGX 1,996,703,059 out of the contract sum of UGX 3,226,175,000.

The approval of this supplementary budget followed a letter from Arua district’s Chief Administrative Officer to the Minister of Education and Sports, reminding them of the non-release of U-GIFT funds for the school as of December 19, 2025. This prompted the Ministry of Finance to release the funds on January 27, 2026.

Hon Sylvester Amandu, Arua district’s Secretary of Finance, Planning, and Administration, presented the supplementary budget to the district councilors during the last council session, leading to its approval.

“I stand to a motion to seek the district council’s approval of supplementary budget for St Peter’s Seed Secondary School-Aliba under the U-Gift project worth UGX 1,331,471,941, I now request the house to approve the money to complete the project to finally be handed over to Arua City for management, I beg to move” she presented.

The project, funded by the World Bank, originally began in 2019 under the then greater Arua district local government, before Arua City was created. However, construction was delayed due to irregular fund releases, preventing timely completion.

Since the residual Arua district signed a memorandum of understanding with the funders to ensure the continuation and completion of works, is still the one overseeing the project.

Hon Annet Hope Eyokia, female councilor representing Vurra Sub-county, moved a motion to approve the supplementary budget, which was unanimously seconded, with councilors emphasizing the project’s long-standing delay, which has persisted for five years largely due to slow fund disbursement by the Ministry of Finance.

“If other colleagues will agree with me I will move a motion to approve the supplementary budget for St Peter’s Seed Secondary School-Aliba” she moved.

“I stand to second the motion moved, thank you so much members for not wasting time on this issue because this project has already started and this approve will provide more funds to complete the project” she said.

The approved supplementary funds are expected to enable the contractor to resume construction activities, which had stalled due to lack of funds.

The district councilors noted that the project has been long overdue and did not require extensive debate for approval, given its importance.

With the funds now set to be released, construction work is set to re-commence, bringing the project closer to completion and addressing the persistent delays caused by funding issues.

This move aims to accelerate progress and finally deliver the school facilities that have been pending for years.