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The parliamentary Committee on Equal Opportunities has demanded an investigation into sh42b meant for the construction of the Tochi Irrigation scheme in Acaba Sub County, Oyam district.

The MPs who visited the scheme on October 24 expressed dissatisfaction with the project's progress. The target is to benefit over 10,00 farming communities in the counties of Acaba, Minakulu, Ngai, and Oyam Town Council.

The construction of the scheme to enhance rice production and improve food security and fishing was completed two months ago and handed over to the Tochi Irrigation Cooperative Society by Eng. Robert Kasozi, the assistant commissioner in the Ministry of Water and Environment.

The project, funded by the African Development Bank, kicked off in 2016 but was delayed due to unclear circumstances.

The district LC5 chairperson, Benson Dila Oyuku, told the committee led by Kole district woman MP Judith Alyek that initially he was told sh28b was injected into the project, but he was surprised to hear that the funding jumped to sh42 billion.

“I am not convinced because most of the projects are sanctioned by the Central government; the district has no authority to supervise or monitor them since their payment comes from Central,” Dila said.

He added that when he took over as the district chairperson, he found that sh28b had been earmarked for the project, then later an additional sh5b, and later sh10bllion.

MP Alyek also concurred with Dila, saying even the bill of quantity for the project was not shared with the district, tractors were not delivered, and others.

“The communities don’t have the tractor to plow their gardens and the excavator to make the channel of water flow, yet a lot of money has been sunk into the project,” she said.

“These are some of the challenges our people are facing, yet they need to be supported,” Alyek said, adding that they need to see value for money.