Local gov’t contractors cautioned against siring children, HIV/AIDS spread

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KAMPALA - The Permanent Secretary (PS) of the Ministry of Local Government, Ben Kumumanya, has directed contractors undertaking various projects to ensure extra care to avoid the spread of HIV and AIDS amongst the workers and community members. 

The ministry is concerned that some employees of companies doing constructions antagonize communities by engaging in sex, siring children and posing risks of spreading HIV and AIDS.

“We already have a population explosion; we don’t want you to go to deliver water (construct a water dam) or a road and end up increasing the population. When you call your people for a meeting tell them that we already have enough quarter of the population,” he said, adding that Uganda has the highest fertility rate, and this has been scientifically proved.

Kumumanya asked the company staff to organize their work to minimize accidents throughout the work process, especially taking into consideration people transporting their goods to the markets or carrying patients to health facilities and avoiding inconveniencing them. (Credit: Eddie Ssejjoba)

“So, please do not add us another burden, we have just finished the census, which includes population explosion but also, we are still fighting to control HIV/AIDS, let us not be part of the problem,” he said.

The PS was Wednesday addressing officials from companies that recently won contracts in four districts worth sh6b. 

The signing of the fourth and second lot of the seven contracts took place at the ministry headquarters at Workers’ House in Kampala.

The signing of the fourth and second lot of the seven contracts took place at the ministry headquarters at Workers’ House in Kampala. (Credit: Eddie Ssejjoba)

The projects that will be handed over to the contractors on September 02, 2024, for execution, include construction and rehabilitation works in four districts of Bunyangabu, Kumi, Kibuku and Nakaseke.

They are being executed under the Local Economic Growth Support (LEGS) programme, supported by the Lives and Livelihood Fund (LLF).

The works involve the construction of a sh3.8b Kajamaka Earth Dam in Kumi district, the construction of Tisia piped water supply system still in Kumi at a cost of sh478m, the completion of Buseta milk collection centre in Kibuku district and the completion of Buwana milk collection centre in Nakaseke district.

PS Ben Kumumanya hands over contract papers to Julius Barohooza, the MD Greystone Investment Limited who was contracted to construct the Kijamaka Earth Dam in Kumi. (Credit: Eddie Ssejjoba)  

Others are the rehabilitation of Kanyansi-Bukika-Kiboota-Mitandi-Kinyankend 4km at sh436m, Mahumbuli-Kabanda-Mitandi-Kinyankende 4km at sh490m and the construction of Mahumbuli-Kibanda 2km community access road at sh490.9m, all in Bungangabu district.

The program also includes the rehabilitation of the Nyamiseke-Mahoma 5.4km community access road in the same district. 

“These are some of the commitments that the government made to the people of Uganda as one of the ways to improve the quality and quantity of services in rural areas,” the PS explained.

He, however, cautioned the companies to ensure that their workers exercise maximum discipline throughout the contract period listen to the community leaders and their grievances, if any, and address them appropriately.

“Please listen to these leaders peacefully or you will listen to them forcefully,” he stressed.

Kumumanya asked the company staff to organize their work to minimize accidents throughout the work process, especially taking into consideration people transporting their goods to the markets or carrying patients to health facilities and avoiding inconveniencing them.

He advised the contractors to ensure that they secure all the necessary performance securities and related contract protocols and prepare all the required work plans and schedules before commencement.

According to the PS, some of the work will be executed during the rainy season and therefore asked the contractors to be mindful of the consequences it might have on all the works, especially the earth dam and the roads.

“You must plan and manage the heavy rains in the coming months in September, October and November, if you don’t you will get problems because you must manage the rains instead of managing yourself,” he explained.

The contractors must also ensure maximum safety of the community members during the work period, especially where roads will be constructed. 

They are also tasked to be mindful of the existing utility services that may be located within the sites and road reserves.

“Many times, contractors go and destroy utility structures and cause problems, and get hostility from the communities, but we shall ask you to refix them even when you don’t have a budget for this, which will become a problem,” he stressed.

During road works, the contractors are required to ensure that traffic diversions are safe, and accessible and do not cause unnecessary delays for the road users. They must as well be mindful of dust pollution, especially during dry weather.

Kumumanya asked the hired companies to strictly adhere to the construction standards as issued by the Ministry of Works and Transport, Ministry of Water and Environment and the housing ministry. 

They are also expected to use the best quality of materials for all the work that they will execute.

The companies are also obliged to ensure gender balance in the engagement of workers on the construction sites.

“Make sure women participate because we want these projects to improve household incomes of the communities and gender balance should be put into consideration”.

Kumumanya with Eng. Paul Mukasa Kasule. (Credit: Eddie Ssejjoba)

He added, “I want to inform you that failure to deliver as agreed is not acceptable for your best interest and helping your business in future”. The PS said the projects were in line with the commitments of Government Vision 2040, NDPIII and Sustainable Development Goals SDGs where we are trying to pull everybody,” he stressed.

The projects are designed, he explained, to help people take their produce to the markets, to assist communities gain access to social services and provision of water for people who are stressed, and enable farmers process their milk, sell it and get better incomes.