Kalangala ferry grounded
Feb 11, 2007
KALANGALA district has appealed to the Government to provide fuel for the Masaka-Kalangala ferry.
By Eddie Ssejjoba
KALANGALA district has appealed to the Government to provide fuel for the Masaka-Kalangala ferry.
The district LC5 chairman, Daniel Kikoola, said the Ministry of Works had failed to provide funds to fuel the ferry for two months and as a result, it was grounded.
He said passengers mobilise themselves and contribute sh500 each to buy fuel. The ferry makes four routes between Kakyanga in Masaka and Bugoma in Kalangala daily.
“We wrote to the Ministry of Works and that of finance to avail funds to fuel the ferry, which is a priority to us. It is our road,†Kikoola lamented.
He said using the ferry for motorists and passengers had hitherto been free, adding that it was a public utility.
“Many people now feel inconvenienced when asked for money.â€
Some men were seen collecting sh500 from each passenger. Taxis paid between sh5,000 and sh7,000 while heavy vehicles paid sh8,000.
Passengers complained that it is the Government’s responsibility to facilitate the ferry.
“We are being charged twice by the taxis and at the ferry. Some of us come not knowing that we have to contribute money for fuel,†Paul Mubiru, one of the passengers said.
A lady with her children were refused to board the ferry for failure to pay.
“I paid for the taxi but it will leave me because I cannot pay for the ferry,†she lamented.
A Ministry of works official said the ministry of finance had not released funds for January and February.
“The arrangements are that if we do not have fuel for the ferry, passengers contribute and buy it themselves,†he said.
One passenger complained that the routes time-table cannot be followed because officers wait for passengers to pay.
KALANGALA district has appealed to the Government to provide fuel for the Masaka-Kalangala ferry.
The district LC5 chairman, Daniel Kikoola, said the Ministry of Works had failed to provide funds to fuel the ferry for two months and as a result, it was grounded.
He said passengers mobilise themselves and contribute sh500 each to buy fuel. The ferry makes four routes between Kakyanga in Masaka and Bugoma in Kalangala daily.
“We wrote to the Ministry of Works and that of finance to avail funds to fuel the ferry, which is a priority to us. It is our road,†Kikoola lamented.
He said using the ferry for motorists and passengers had hitherto been free, adding that it was a public utility.
“Many people now feel inconvenienced when asked for money.â€
Some men were seen collecting sh500 from each passenger. Taxis paid between sh5,000 and sh7,000 while heavy vehicles paid sh8,000.
Passengers complained that it is the Government’s responsibility to facilitate the ferry.
“We are being charged twice by the taxis and at the ferry. Some of us come not knowing that we have to contribute money for fuel,†Paul Mubiru, one of the passengers said.
A lady with her children were refused to board the ferry for failure to pay.
“I paid for the taxi but it will leave me because I cannot pay for the ferry,†she lamented.
A Ministry of works official said the ministry of finance had not released funds for January and February.
“The arrangements are that if we do not have fuel for the ferry, passengers contribute and buy it themselves,†he said.
One passenger complained that the routes time-table cannot be followed because officers wait for passengers to pay.