A 110 million shillings project for the construction of a modern car washing bay meant to lessen pollution in Arua has stalled for the last five years.
The project, initially funded by National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), was meant to prevent encroachment on River Enyau and protect marine life. At the initiation of the project, NEMA provided 16 million shillings of the original 46 million shillings budgeted for the construction.
Honest MK Enterprises, the contractor, say they have been unable to proceed with the project because NEMA has failed to release more funds to complete the project.
The company’s director Shaban Madira explained that the budget shot up from 46million shillings to 110 million shillings as the price of construction materials rose.
Arua Acting Engineer Anson Draku says the washing bay is supposed to have concrete slab, soak away pit for sieving oil and an administrative office. Currently only a latrine that has been constructed.
The Chairperson of the Enyau Boys Car Washers Association, David Aswa, bemoaned the snail’s pace of construction. Aswa said on Monday that the stalled project is hurting their livelihood as they are not allowed to wash their cars in River Enyau.
Arua Environment Officer Joachim Andiandu says the car washers were banned from using the river because of the serious contamination to the soil and groundwater by their activities.
Although the river used to have fish in the 1990s, following several decades of unmonitored dumping of waste fish stocks dried up completely.
River Enyau serves over 30, 000 people from Arua, Terego and those who live along the Nile. It is also a major supplier of water used by the National Water and Sewerage Corporation the in the municipality.
When contacted over the stalled project, NEMA public relations officer Naomi Namara admitted that the project stalled because of the rise in the cost of materials needed. She said that the authority is working hard to see the project resume soon.
