Atkinson Ojara, the Lamogi Sub-County Chairperson says there is a need to streamline the crackdown to focus on stopping large-scale charcoal production instead of banning charcoal production completely without giving locals other energy alternatives for home use.
This farming season alone, Nantume has already spent 600,000 Shillings for 150 kg of Diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer, 32,000 Shillings for buying two kilograms of DK maize seeds, and intends to purchase about eight liters of Weed Master each at 22,000 Shillings for killing the weed.
Stephen Odong Latek, the Amuru Resident District Commissioner told Uganda Radio Network Monday that a greater section of the Eastern part of Elegu Town Council was submerged by the floods. He says more than 2,000 people had been affected by the flash flood and relocated from the area to safer zones by Monday morning.
Joseph Onegiu, the Labala Parish Vice Chairperson revealed that the suspects had been operating illegal roadblocks for some time, extorting money from illegal dealers.
In 2017, the government surveyed the land and compensated the original landowners to pave the way for the proposed plantation of sugarcane and the establishment of a sugar factory by Madhavani Sugar Factory.
Amuru Resident District Commissioner, Stephen Odong Latek told Uganda Radio Network in an interview Monday that six trucks and a lorry carrying the charcoal were impounded in the operation that kicked off last week.
Drani claims that he has obtained information that NFA personnel deployed in the area are offering protection to dealers who come from as far as Rwanda, Congo, and parts of central Uganda to cut trees from Zoka forest, which is the country`s only tropical rainforest.
Wilfred Oyoo, a taxi driver plying Atiak-Nimule road, says that close to 100 people whose homes were flooded had sought refuge by the roadside on Thursday morning. Oyoo says there is a likelihood that the water level may rise in the coming days with the continuation of heavy rains being registered in the region.
George William Omony, the Manager of Forecasting Services in UNMA told URN over the weekend that heavy rainfalls in Amuru, Nwoya, and Gulu Districts are expected to see a rise in the water levels of river Ayugi and river Unyama
The area, known as one of the leading trading areas between Uganda and South Sudan, experiences flash floods during the rainy season, and whenever River Unyama, the Blue Nile`s tributary burst its banks. The floods have reportedly killed 10 people and destroyed tonnes of merchandise over the last five years.
Kenneth Okot, the Chairman of Atiak Town Council in Amuru District told URN that the animals have become a burden to the district authorities since they have to spend money on feeding and guarding them.
The chairpersons include Kenneth Okot of Atiak Town Council, Samuel AKera of Atiak Sub County, and Peter Lukwiya of Opara Sub County. They were arrested by the police on Friday on allegations of arson and malicious damage, following an operation they conducted against illegal charcoal dealers in the area.
They are accused of torching seven makeshift huts, burning 240 bags of stacked charcoal and hundreds of heaps of piled charcoal logs, killing poultry, damaging two solar panels and clothes belonging to Michael Okema Opilo the former Chairperson for Elegu Town council.
The operation which was conducted at Ogom Raa and Tee-Got parishes in Okidi Village was led by the Environmental Police Protection Unit. Hundreds of temporary structures, piles of logs for burning, and kilns of already burning charcoal were destroyed.
William Latim Alex, the headteacher of the school, says that the renovation of the 4-classroom block will cost Shillings 99.5 million while the 2-classroom block will cost them Shillings 50 million, according to the quotation they received.
In a letter dated 27th September this year, Otto claims that in July this year, he gave the Town Council the money to construct the road to his tourism site, to improve access to social services and open opportunities for other tourism investors, but that the road was never opened due to "bad local politics, irredentism and negative attitudes" among others.
Mahmood Abdi, the Director of Agriculture and Plantation, Attiak Sugar Factory which sits along River Unyama says that they intend to construct irrigation schemes and water dams along the river to mitigate flooding in Elegu Township and the factory as well as to secure water for the factory`s sugarcane plantation in all seasons.
