Christopher Omara, Nwoya Resident District Commissioner who took over office barely a month ago says he found that only 11 pastoralists out of more than 50 have reportedly left the district voluntarily.
Nwoya is among the four districts in Acholi and Lango Sub-regions that was supposed to start evicting pastoralists who were illegally occupying government land following an order issued by Gen. David Muhoozi, the state Minister for Internal Affairs last week.
The winner in the two home and away basis game tie will face the winner in a similar tie from West Nile region where the overall winner then qualifies to play in Uganda's second tier football league, the FUFA Big League in the forthcoming season.
They include No 31093 Sergeant Brian Okello Sadik; No 56398 Corporal Caesar Dragudu, No 37359 Constable Albert Oven, No 50449 Constable Christopher Ocen, No 52819 Constable Anthony Adirondack. They are all being detained at Nwoya Central Police Station pending disciplinary trial.
Nakakande Khadija, the Communication Officer of National Agricultural Advisory Services –NAADS told URN in an interview that the Nwoya Fruit Processing Factory project is a presidential pledge to the people of Nwoya and that it shall benefit over 5,000 fruit out-growers in the district who are growing mangoes, oranges and guava.
Nwoya District Chairperson Patrick Okello Oryema explains that the roads are expected to connect remote agriculture productive areas in Alero, Lungulu, Anaka and Purongo Sub-Counties to neighbouring markets in Amuru, Gulu and the entire Acholi sub region.
The deadly insects were randomly sighted in Got Lunyang and Aol ki Lyec villages in Lutuk Parish, Kochgoma Sub County; Obira village in Anaka Sub County, Purongo Sub-County and Nwoya District headquarters on Wednesday and Thursday.
Nwoya District Chairperson Patrick Okello Oryema told URN that each charcoal bag was sold between 10,000 and 15,000 Shillings depending on its size. He says that the district raised up to four million Shillings from the sale, which was held at Nwoya district headquarters on Thursday.
John Inyani Isimimaro, a commercial farmer in Kiryandongo district disclosed that government policies are not being translated to benefit local farmers.
Martin Owor, the Commissioner Disaster Management in the Office of the Prime Minister disclosed that OPM and Police teams have been dispatched to join District Disaster Management Committees (DDMCs) of the affected districts to try to manage the crisis.
Felix Onencan, a farmer in Agung village says he has suffered unimaginable loss after the elephants destroyed his crops and shuttered his investment. He told URN that he procured a bank loan and hired 300 acres of land on which he planted soybean which has all been ruined.
Statistics available by Total E&P Uganda indicate that as of October 2018, more than 350 grievances since 2012 have been sorted with the involvement of various stakeholders including district leaders depending on the grievance.
Alfred Kilama, the Nwoya District Agriculture Officer confirmed the presence of the disease which he says started in 2017. He said the disease is not prevalent only in Nwoya but has been confirmed in neighbouring Amuru, Gulu and Omoro districts.
Patrick Okello Oryema, the Nwoya District LC V chairperson, says despite their discussions with Total to consider the local business community, their advice was ignored.
Most of the commercial farms are owned by Indians and are found in Lungulu, Got Apwoyo and Latoro sub counties. Those implicated are Oola lolim farm, Fol farm, Amatheon Agri, Pinacle farm, Delight Uganda Limited, Vineyak Agro Farm Ltd and Rigil Agrotech Ltd among others.
For six years, Olwoch had failed to utilize the land in question. Products from his farmland had also been rejected by the community under the belief that they could be toxic. In 2014 Olwoch planted 1 acre of Cassava which all went to waste when residents rejected it saying it was contaminated with harmful waste.
Michael Ikanut, the environmental monitoring officer with the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA), says the exercise is now complete and authorities are restoring the dug pit to level the surface. He says the waste removal should come as a big relief to the residents who were living in fear .
