Prime Minister Robinah  Nabbanja has handed over the construction of Luwero General Hospital to the UPDF Engineering Brigade saying that the army ensures quality and timely works.

This follows the delayed completion of the hospital ward whose construction began in 2012/2013 financial year but has since dragged on.

The UPDF Engineers Brigade will also take on the completion of the Luwero district administration block which has stalled due to financial limitations.

The pending works estimated to cost sh2.5b will be  completed in nine months

The premier while handing over the hospital project to the army, said that hat "His Excellency President Yoweri Museveni wrote to me instructing that the UPDF engineers brigade take over work on the two buildings so that they can be completed as soon as possible,”

The Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Nabbanja Robinah planting a Mango tree at Luwero Hospital as she handed over the construction and completion of Luwero Hospital ward to the UPDF Engineers Brigade

 According to Nabbanja the UPDF has helped the government to save money when they produced world-class works at Entebbe International Airport when the country was preparing to host NAM, G77 and China.

“The UPDF helped the government to save 92 billion shillings when they took up the construction and rehabilitation of the Entebbe International Airport. They also produced world-class work,” said Nabbanja.

She cautioned health workers against absenteeism and moonlighting arguing that the government enhanced the salaries of health workers with a belief that they would offer better services to the public.

“We are formulating a policy that will ban moonlighting by government health workers because we are paying them enough money. We want them to concentrate on work and serve Ugandans because the government is being bashed because of them,” said Nabbanja according to a media release from her office.

Victoria Rusoke, the state minister for local government, assured the people of Luwero that the government will address all issues regarding service delivery in Luwero.

“Government instituted a ban on the creation of new administrative units but as soon as it is lifted Luwero will be the first beneficiary,” said Rusoke.

Rusoke was responding to demands by the district LC5 chairman Luwero, Erasto Kibirango that Luwero is one of the biggest town councils in the country and needed to be upgraded to a municipality status.

Kibirango asked the central government to avail the district with another road unit because of the many kilometers in 10 sub-counties and 8 town councils that make up the district.

Dr. Henry Mwebesa, the director general health services in the Ministry of Health echoed Nabbanja’s call to health workers to serve diligently.

“We pleaded with the government on salary enhancement but it is disheartening to see that health workers are not offering the required services to the public. A medical officer gets almost thrice the salary of a chief administrative officer,” said Mwebesa.

He warned that to avoid being fired, if anyone is not happy with the pay they can leave and create room for others to serve.

Mwebesa assured the people of Luwero that the government will deliver a new X-ray Machine for better services.

Col. Godfrey Tukamwakiira of the UPDF Engineers brigade assured stakeholders that the task will be completed in nine months only.

In a related development, the Prime Minister inspected the ongoing road works for the upgrade of the Luwero-Butalangu 29.72km road from gravel to paved standard at shilligs 93 billion

Nabbanja expressed concern that road construction is behind schedule and asked the contractor (Dot Services) to double the efforts.

Kenbert Kaganzi, the manager of DOT Services acknowledged the delay which he attributed to several reasons.

He cited the case of  a native herbalist who has refused to vacate the project land unless government pays sh500m which he says will finance the relocation of his shrine 3km from Luwero town.

Nabbanja advised the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) to engage the herbalist and if he fails they should re-align the road but works must continue.

The prime minister also made an impromptu visit to Nakaseke General Hospital in her quest to monitor and supervise government service delivery.

Nabbanja was impressed by the work at the hospital and lauded health workers for their efforts to serve Ugandans.

The prime minister expressed government commitment to address all issues raised such as low staffing, staff quarters for health workers, renovation of the hospital, irregular supply of drugs and other issues.