Geoffrey Odic, the Vice-Chairperson Tipper Driver’s Association, says the new Taxi Park is unable to accommodate many vehicles as part of the space is occupied by trailers.
Tipper drivers in Aduku town council in Kwania district are protesting
their proposed relocation to the newly gazetted Taxi / Bus Park. It comes a few
days after the town council authorities resolved to relocate tipper drivers to the
newly gazetted Taxi / Bus Park effective October 21st, 2020 to
enhance local revenue collection.
The meeting resolved
to fine any driver who will defy the directive Shillings 100,000. However, a
group of tipper drivers under Aduku Transporters and Tipper Driver’s, says
there is no business in the taxi park.
They also argue that they can’t mix with buses and Taxis due
to the nature of their operations. Geoffrey Odic, the Vice-Chairperson Tipper
Driver’s Association, says the new Taxi Park is unable to accommodate many
vehicles as part of the space is occupied by trailers.
He asks the town council to allocate them independent space
where they can operate from.
Luo Audio:
//Cue in: “Alubere kede meeting …
Cue out: … apol tye iye.”//
George Oludi, another tipper driver says relocating them to the new Taxi Park
will not only affect their business but will also expose them to accidents.
“I have never seen any town putting Tipper
drivers together with Taxi and bus operators. We shall not go as demanded by
the town authorities, if they want to keep us in business then we should be
placed in a separate area,’’ Oludi said.
Keny James Obaya, the Town Clerk Aduku Town Council, says the move to
reallocate Tipper drivers is meant to reduce road accidents and boost local revenue
collection.
Obaya notes that due to the many stopovers along major highways,
their revenue collection has dwindled over the last ten years since the Town
Council became operational.
Luo Audio
//Cue in: “Gin dong odok …
Cue out: … ibino nwongo fine.”//
The Town Council authorities expect to collect Shillings 18
million monthly if all vehicles operate from the taxi park, a move they say
will greatly improve service delivery.
Peter Otim, the leader of government business in Aduku Town Council, says the
relocation of tipper divers to the gazetted bus park will greatly improve
service delivery in the urban center.
Eng Audio:
//Cue in: “The reallocation of …
Cue out: … is a good arrangement.”//
Harriet Ogam, the Northern Uganda Station Engineer Uganda National Road
Authority-UNRA, says parking and offloading passengers along the Main Street
especially on the pedestrian lane is risky.
"Those Tipper drivers are illegally operating on our Apac-Lira Highway, we
shall write to the Town Council authorities to get an alternative place to
accommodate all these road side stages ", she said in a telephone
interview.
Rolex Oyari, the Aduku Town Council LCIII Chairperson urges the tipper drives
to vacate their respective stages and move to the temporary gazetted park near
Sujjicare Medical Center on Kwania road. He says whoever will not comply shall
face the law.
Currently, transporters operate at Aduku Mayor’s garden, UCC
Aduku-Apire road and near Yellow Pages-along Apac-Lira Highway
