HEALTH | SPEAKER | AMONG 

ARUA - The Speaker of Parliament, Anita Annet Among, on Tuesday, August 9, 2022, donated solar facility to Arua Regional Referral Hospital in a bid to support it with the rampant electricity shortage in the region. 

A statement released from the Speaker's office indicated that she donated the solar facility after she was disheartened to learn that mothers have been dying at the hospital due to power shortages and pledged to uplift the maternity ward with solar equipment. 

“My office will install power at Arua Regional Referral Hospital especially in the maternity ward to help the doctors carry on with their work smoothly, we really cannot afford to have hospitals without electricity,” she said. 

Among urged the ministry of energy to urgently intervene in the crisis, saying that government was not realizing the value of money from the projects. 

“I see no value for money from the two service providers tasked to generate and distribute electricity in West Nile. I want to see all stakeholders working tirelessly to resolve this issue once and for all. Electro Maxx and WENRECO must fulfil its contract and obligations to the people of West Nile”, Among emphasized. 

She further questioned how the stakeholders were embroiled in a blame game, particularly the power generators and distributors who she says are using lack of fuel as a reason for the poor service delivery. She condemned their incompetence and charged them to ensure that the existing power generators are functioning. 

The Speaker was meeting the Citizens Action for improved Service delivery, a group of petitioners from West Nile led by Caleb Alaka. 

The meeting was also attended by West Nile Parliamentary Group, officials from the ministry of energy, power generating company ElectroMaxx and distributor WENRECO. 

During the meeting, the petitioners asked WENRECCO AND Electromaxx to expedite the process of connecting West Nile to the National grid and effectively provide affordable and reliable power. 

This they argue would not only reduce unnecessary loss of lives at Arua Regional Referral Hospital and due to insecurity, but also reduce poverty, accelerate industrial growth, and uplift the burden that the youth are exerting on the environment due to idleness. 

 “We decided to support this government and overwhelming voted for it, but it seems someone wants to sabotage our support. West Nile has never had reliable power. We have had energy poverty and endured suffering like we are not part of Uganda,” Alaka said. 

Alaka described the situation in West Nile as dire and called for an urgent intervention by government; noting the eminent decline in trade locally and regionally. 

“West Nike by virtue of its geographical location borders three vast hinterlands of Eastern DRC, Congo Brazzaville, South Sudan and to some extent Central African Republic”, he continued 

The minister of state for energy and mineral development, Sidronius Okaasai, assured the Speaker that the ministry was working round the clock to deliver power to West Nile. 

“The solution is bulk delivery of power to West Nile. In fact, West Nile is one of the most prioritized regions in Uganda, they have a lot of power demand and this is why we thought that they should have their own power generator. it’s unfortunate that the designated companies are being faulted but as a ministry, we are working to ensure that this is resolved”, he said. 

He explained that there were issues with two turbines which are not able to operate at a go because of little water. 

“Another turbine got spoilt and was flown to Nairobi and has just been returned. It is now operating fully,” he said. 

He stated that the Minister had personally visited Nyagak 3 and noted good progress on construction but decried lack of funds to complete the station, which has the capacity to produce 6.5 megawatts 

He requested the ministry of finance to provide funds to facilitate the project’s completion.