By Sunday Amandi

Arua

Two yearS after it was commissioned by President Museveni, the value addition facility located in Awindiri ward within Arua Central Division Arua city continues to lie idle due to unresolved challenges, making the city miss opportunities that would be brought by its operationalization. Though the Minister of Local Government, Rafael Magyezi during a visit in the city promised guidelines to handover the facility to a private contractor, but no progress has been realized since then.

According to Herman Rubangakene, the Regional Manager of China Wangwai that undertook the construction of the facility, they fulfilled their obligation, and the facility is ready for use. “As China wangwai, we fulfilled our contractual obligation, and the machines in the facility are functional…”said Rubangakene.
This facility worth 8 billion shillings was constructed as part of the modern Arua Main market project under Market and Agriculture Trade Improvement Program - MATIP. In a recent media briefing, Arua Central Division Member of Parliament, Jackson Lee Atima revealed plans by a staff from the ministry to award contract of the facility without any guideline, as Arua City waits for official communication. “What surprised me is, the leaders in the ministry of local government presenting a document that the leaders have failed to get a contractor which was false…, “Atima said.

However, Arua Central Division Deputy Speaker, Victor Lomori, proposed that the facility should be given to a local contractor after receiving guidelines for benefit of the local population. If well utilized, the value addition facility has a capacity to change lives of the people in West Nile, especially farmers.

COVER PHOTO: The value addition plant in Arua city  By Sunday Amandi