COMMUNITY FRUSTRATION GROWS OVER ABANDONED ADROYI BRIDGE PROJECT IN ARUA DISTRICT

The abandoned Adroyi Bridge linking Ringili parish in Vurra town council and Olupi parish in Arivu Sub-county in Arua district (All photos by Onzoma Albert)

By Onzoma Albert

Arua City

Residents of Ringili Parish and nearby areas in Arua district are expressing frustration over the three-year delay in the construction of the Adroyi Bridge.

The project has become a source of local discontent due to extensive delays, abandonment of construction work, and the resulting economic disruption.

Funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries (MAAIF), the project’s budget is estimated between UGX 940 million and UGX 980 million.

James Endriyo, LC1 Chairman of Lumara village, urges local leaders and national authorities to intervene, hold responsible parties accountable, and resume construction.

“The construction work has stalled for three years now and the bridge is still here uncompleted as the community members we don’t know why the works has stalled up to now, we don’t know who to follow and where to get the contractor because we don’t know him or have any communication with him,” he said.

Initially, the project was expected to be completed around early 2025; however, the construction site has remained dormant for over two years, with reports indicating that the contractor, MWL Company Limited, abandoned the site long before that.

Local leaders in the area pointing at the abandoned site during visits by journalists at the site of the stalled bridge project in Arua district.

Aldo Obiza, Andifeku Center A village secretary for security, highlights that the absence of the bridge hampers essential activities such as school travel, emergency healthcare access, and the transportation of agricultural produce.

“The community in Ringili faces difficulties because the unfinished bridge prevents children from accessing schools in Enzeva and Olupi, and restricts community members from reaching Arivu market. This forces people to use a distant main road, which is inconvenient” he said.

Geoffrey Angueyi, a resident of Joyia village in Olupi Parish, also reports that the lack of a proper bridge has negatively affected local livelihoods in the communities of Ringili and Olupi.

“The incomplete bridge also hampers livelihoods, as it prevents trucks from delivering sand and bricks needed for their work, leading to increased poverty. The community expresses disappointment, emphasizing that completing the bridge would significantly improve access and living conditions” he said.

Some of the remaining materials at the site been guarded by the security guard employed by the contractor to provide security at the construction site.

The incomplete bridge severely hampers transportation, trade, and market access between key trading centers like Andifeku Market and Arivu Market.

The bridge serves as the crucial link connecting these markets, and its non-functionality has effectively severed physical connectivity, disrupting local commerce. The primary impact is on trade, livelihoods, and community movement, making daily life and economic activities difficult for residents.

In response, State Minister for Works and Transport, Fred Byamukama, during his recent visit in West Nile region directed Arua District Woman Member of Parliament, Lillian Paparu Obiale, to formally document grievances concerning the abandoned UGX 980 million project.

The goal is to escalate the matter for a forensic audit, ensuring accountability and accelerating efforts to complete the stalled infrastructure.

Written by newsroom-radiopacis