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Communities in the Albertine region have been challenged to observe traffic rules as Bunyoro’s critical oil roads are near completion. 

Albertine Police region spokesperson Julius Hakiiza says as the roads near completion, there is a need for road users to observe traffic rules to reduce accidents. 

Hakiza says Police have registered a high number of car crashes since the tarmacking of different roads in the region started. He attributed the challenge to reckless driving and riding, speeding and non-compliance with traffic rules.

Hakiza was on Monday peaking during a community sensitisation event about the progress of the oil roads project in Hoima city .

He expressed concern over the increasing habit of drying maize, beans and cassava on the tarmac. According to him, the act is illegal and contributes to accidents, promising that the Police would soon launch an operation to arrest the culprits.

The current construction of critical oil road projects started in 2019 after the Government contracted China Railway Seventh Group (CRSG) to implement the project at a cost of shillings 500 billion.

CRSG is tarmacking the Hohwa-Nyairongo-Kyarushesha-Butole Road, Kabaale-Kizirabfumbi road (25km) and the 47-kilometre Masindi-Biiso road.

Project handover in five months

CRSG public relations officer Ambrose Atwine said despite the COVID challenges affecting the progress of the project, the contractor is remaining with few works to complete the project.

He noted that the project progress is standing at 89.6% and that within five months, they have completed and handed over the project to the Government.

He noted that they have so far completed the Hohwa-Nyairongo-Kyarushesha-Butole road and that serious work has remained at Masindi-Biiso and Kabaale-Kizirabfumbi roads.

He added that the project was supposed to last for two years, but because of the COVID-19 challenges the Government offered the contractor more time.

Usama Mugunga, the assistant sociologist working with Net kkatt, a consultant of the project, said the communities on the project were compensated at 99% and that the remaining people who have not received their compensation are those with sugarcane farms.

He promised soon these people will be compensated because the Government valuer had already finalised the valuation report and challenged those who could allow the contractor to continue with the work to do so, promising that their money would be paid.