The acting District Education Officer Henry Wadri, acknowledged the problem and blamed it on anomalies that arose during the separation of payroll for the newly created administrative units that were carved out of the greater Arua District.
But Sarah Kayagi, the Chairperson Parliamentary Committee on HIV called on the leaders of Arua to continue sharing the meager HIV services with those in DRC adding that they will task government to increased resources to meet health services demand by border districts including Arua.
In Arua district, there is only one ambulance, which is inadequate to manage Covid19 cases in the district. Paul Drileba, the acting District Health Officer says the situation has become difficult to manage in the four sub-counties. Since they struggle to ensure timely referral of cases to Arua.
The Hospital Director, Dr. Filbert Nyeko told the officials that there is no legal instrument mandating them to supervise and assert their authority on the management of the hospital.
According to Eswelu, they failed to collect sufficient local revenue because of the low revenue base. He revealed that revenue collection in the district dropped from over Shillings 1Billion to Shillings 426Million, which he attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and creation of Terego district and Arua City hence denying them some sources of revenue.
Sam Wadri Nyaku the Mayor Arua City said the decision by the Ministry of Local Government to remain silent on the issue has affected the operations of the City. He explains that they cannot access some of the movable assets like motor vehicles to facilitate their work in the City.
The City Taskforce was allocated 37 Million Shillings, 188 Million to Village Health Teams, and 90 Million Shillings for the Rapid response and Surveillance Team.
Paul Bishop Drileba, the acting Arua District Health Officer, says that some of the people whose samples test positive resort to insults and warn him never to call them again when he asks them to come to the district health department for assistance.
Some of the boundary disputes are between Yumbe and Madi Okollo at Ewanga, Moyo and Obongi at Palorinya, Terego and Madi Okollo at Ocea, Maracha and Koboko at Kololo, Arua district and Madi Okollo over Laura central Forest reserve among others.
Speaking during the COVID-19 Taskforce meeting at the district headquarters, Ewacabo tasked Dr. Filbert Nyeko to explain why patients continue dying at the hospital due to lack of Oxygen even after fixing the power problem last week.
But in Arua, the vendors have not implemented the directive citing lack of Sanitary facilities and congestion. The market which was constructed out of iron sheets following the demolition of the main market currently accommodates over 3,000 vendors dealing in various foodstuffs. It has one water point and a four stance latrine.
Moses Odeke, a mechanic at the Arua Hospital Oxygen plant and his supervisor only identified as Peter was picked by police detectives and detained at Arua CPS for negligence following the death of 5 Covid-19 patients on Friday and Saturday.
According to some residents, they want the authorities to prioritize the health sector to manage the Covid19 strain and other diseases. They also want new roads constructed and the roads in a poor state rehabilitated.
John Godo, an Elder in Ayivu and Minister in Lugbara Cultural Institution, says that the decision to remove Ayivu from Arua City is aimed at safeguarding the common heritage of the Ayivu and Lugbara people from being eroded by the influence of the City.
Some of the markets have continued to attract traders from the Democratic Republic of Congo-DRC, Arua City and Zombo district posing a great risk of spreading Covid-19.
The councillors who converged at the former division offices claim the division owes them more than 15 Million Shillings which has accrued over eleven months.
According to Festus Ayikobua the RDC Arua, security personnel will carry out impromptu operations and impound all disco equipment of those defying presidential directives.
In his inaugural speech on Tuesday, Nyakua said that the recently concluded political campaigns were based along tribal and religious lines which divided the electorate. According to Nyakua, he will promote unity and harmony in the new council.
