UGANDA, Gulu | Real Muloodi News | Last week, Hon. Judith Nabakooba, the Minister for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, and Hon. Obiga Kania Mario, the Minister of State for Internal Affairs, launched the construction of 6 more roads in Gulu City.
The roads are being constructed under the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development Program (USMID) funded by Government and the World Bank. Project USMID aims to enhance the institutional performance of program Municipal Councils (MCs) to improve urban service delivery.
Other participating Municipal Councils are Arua, Lira, Gulu, Soroti, Entebbe, Mbale, Tororo, Jinja, Masaka, Hoima, Fort portal, Mbarara, Kabale and Moroto.
In Gulu, the surface of the roads will be upgraded from gravel to an asphalt surface layer of 50mm, with base course and sub-base layers. The roads will comprise a carriage way of 7 metres total width, with two lanes in opposite direction. There will also be a parking lane, a cycle lane, and 1.5 metres of walkways on each side of the road. They will also feature street lights, service ducts and drains.
China Railway 18 will construct about 7.7 kilometres of the Gulu roads during the next phase of the development project. This is scheduled within the coming 15 months, for a total cost of 42 billion Uganda Shillings.
During the launch, Hon. Nabakooba addressed the local leaders in Gulu City, urging them to “use the improved roads to spur development and motivate people to work hard.” She also said that “good workmanship will increase chances of getting more funding in the future.”
Mr Alfred Okwonga, Gulu City Mayor, assured that “local people will be employed in the construction of the roads.”
When Gulu City was allocated the funds for road construction through USMID, the Gulu City Town Clerk, Mr Edward Kiwanuka, explained that the roads “will improve security, offer business opportunities to the locals to enhance livelihoods.”
The entire USMID infrastructure construction has provided direct employment to 2,716 people, 16.3 per cent of whom are women.
Under various construction projects, including USMID, 62 roads in Gulu City have been constructed or upgraded in the last five years. These roads will improve the road network, making it easier for business transactions, thus improving livelihoods.
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