The Ministry of Water and Environment officers have tasked local government authorities to report contractors who jeopardize planned works in a financial year to relevant authorities.

The call was made by Simon Peter Omalinga, a senior sociologist from the MoWE, in the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) coordination meeting of extension officers held in Kapelebyong district council hall last week.

Omalinga said the failure by contractors to execute the contracts on time causes financial loss to the institution, which impacts the livelihood of the local people.

His guidance followed reports of a return of about Shs75 million meant for the construction of three boreholes in Kapelebyong district in the Financial Year 2023/2024 to the consolidated fund after Mama boreholes Africa Ltd., a contractor, severally hit dry wells.

Omalinga said there could have been a possibility of the contractor using inaccurate geological equipment or old technology.

“You write to the Ministry of Finance with backed-up documents to send back the swept funds,” Omalinga advised.

Isaac Odima, the district water officer for Kapelebyong, expressed that the district awarded the contracts on time and that the failure to successfully execute the contracts is entirely the responsibility of the contractor.

“I recommended some competent geologists to the contractor, but my advice was not respected by the firm,” Odima said.

Odima said that the return of the money to the consolidated funds is a disservice to the community, which is highly impoverished by the low performance on WASH.

He thanked the political leaders for their tireless efforts to serve communities through WASH activities.

The Ministry of Water and Environment sends rural water grants to districts for implementing wash activities. Kapelebyong district received Shs264m.

By Emmanuel Opio,

Communication Officer

Kapelebyong District Local Government