UGANDA, Apac | Real Muloodi News | Authorities in Apac District are facing challenges in reclaiming land belonging to Apac General Hospital, which has allegedly been encroached upon by individuals believed to be influential.
Since its establishment in 1968, Apac General Hospital has struggled to demarcate its land boundaries, creating opportunities for hospital land grabbers. This situation has persisted due to the inability to identify the original boundaries, making it vulnerable to encroachment.
Reports indicate that some individuals who previously worked at the government health facility have settled on the hospital land for over 30 years. Some of these settlers claim that their forefathers offered the land to the hospital.
In 2006, Apac Town Council leaders allegedly sold a portion of the hospital land to private individuals, who subsequently acquired land titles.
Last week, Ikomba Asanti Odongo, the Apac District LC5 chairperson, urged those settled on the hospital land to vacate voluntarily to allow for the expansion of the health facility.
Odongo stated, “I am so disappointed, especially with people who worked at this hospital and some of them started building on this land in 2003. We shall leave no stone unturned, and we are going to make sure we acquire the title for this land.”
Some of the alleged encroachers, claiming to have purchased the land from former hospital staff, are demanding compensation. Others assert ownership under customary tenure.
George Aryangi, a resident of Hospital and Around Cell in Akere Division, stated that he bought his land 20 years ago.
He explained, “We have not settled on government land. The government land was demarcated in 1968, a mark stone was planted, which means any land behind the stone does not belong to the hospital. If the hospital wants land for expansion, they should get it in a good way but not by creating another boundary to grab our land.”
Francis Elega, another resident, claimed he has been living on the land since 1973.
Elega remarked, “If the government wants land for the expansion of this hospital, they should compensate us and we use that money to buy land elsewhere.”
Geoffrey Okuta, a claimant, asserted that he was born on the disputed land in 1951 and that his father was among those who offered land for building Apac General Hospital.
He said, “My parents donated land for building this hospital and the remaining portion is where we are living up to date but they want to grab it from us.”
Apac Resident District Commissioner George Abudul emphasised the willingness of most people to engage in dialogue to resolve the matter amicably.
Abudul stated, “We shall not allow people to grab land for an institution that supports many lives. We shall ensure we do everything possible to recover this land.”
Dr. Robinah Akello, acting medical superintendent of Apac General Hospital, highlighted that the limited space is hindering plans to expand the facility.
Akello said, “There are plans to expand this health facility and the government has tasked the district to acquire a land title for this hospital. Without the land title, there shall be no expansion because the government doesn’t want to invest in the land they are not sure of.”
About Apac General Hospital
Apac General Hospital, the only general hospital in the Lango Sub-region, serves over 4,000 patients monthly from Apac, Kole, Oyam, and Kwania districts, according to records from the Out-Patient Department.
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