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Teso receives fresh OPM iron sheet allocation for schools, churches
The iron sheets will mainly benefit educational institutions and places of worship by supporting the roofing of teachers' houses, dormitories, church buildings, kitchens and other facilities. Michael Outa, an elder from Kaucho B cell in Pallisa town council, also received 40 iron sheets.
Minister Ongalo hands over iron sheets to beneficiaries in Kalaki District on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (Photo by Delux Emmy Alomu)
By: Deluxe Emmy Alomu, Journalist @New Vision
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The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), through the Ministry for Teso Affairs, has begun distributing more than 5,000 iron sheets across districts in the Teso sub-region to support infrastructure development during the current financial year.
The programme was launched on July 1, 2026, by Teso affairs state minister Dr Kenneth Clement Ongalo Obote. Pallisa district received 590 iron sheets, while Kalaki received 736, with distribution expected to continue across the remaining districts in the sub-region.
The iron sheets will mainly benefit educational institutions and places of worship by supporting the roofing of teachers' houses, dormitories, church buildings, kitchens and other facilities. Michael Outa, an elder from Kaucho B cell in Pallisa town council, also received 40 iron sheets.
Minister Ongalo is welcomed to Kalaki District, where he later handed over iron sheets to various institutions on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (Photo by Delux Emmy Alomu)
Dr Ongalo said his ministry receives between 5,000 and 8,000 iron sheets annually from the OPM, with between 2,500 and 3,000 sheets released every quarter for distribution among the 14 local governments in Teso, including Pallisa and Butebo.
He said his office requires about 20,000 iron sheets annually to adequately respond to requests, noting that the current allocations from the OPM fall far short of the demand, particularly from public institutions and places of worship.
The minister explained that allocations are determined by the significance of each request and indicated that his office may soon limit support to a maximum of 150 iron sheets per institution because of the growing number of applications, despite some institutions requesting more than 1,500 sheets.
Kibale County MP Constantine Okwii welcomed the support, saying it would significantly improve infrastructure in Pallisa district.
He commended the minister for ensuring a fair and equitable distribution of the iron sheets, noting that roofing remains one of the most expensive aspects of construction, particularly for places of worship. He appealed to the ministry to sustain the programme.
Kalaki resident district commissioner Chris Mike Okirya said the OPM continues to play an important role in improving public infrastructure in sectors such as education, health, roads and sanitation. He said providing construction materials such as iron sheets would improve teachers' accommodation and enhance community welfare.
Okirya said the support represented a major boost for the people of Teso by strengthening local government capacity to improve service delivery and promote local economic development through better infrastructure.
“For us in Teso, who have experienced the hardships of insurgency, receiving these supplies is akin to an affirmative action. It empowers our local government and strengthens our capacity to serve the community. The support from OPM not only improves service delivery in education, health, and sanitation but also fosters local economic growth by improving road conditions and public infrastructure,” Okirya stated.
Kalaki chief administrative officer Franco Olaboro said the district has long struggled with shortages of classrooms and inadequate facilities for teachers and school kitchens. He said the delivery of iron sheets would help address some of these challenges and urged beneficiaries to use the materials for their intended purposes.
Kalaki district chairperson Moses Oriada also encouraged beneficiaries to utilise the iron sheets instead of leaving them in storage.
Kalaki Secondary School headteacher Abraham Elasu, whose school received 300 iron sheets, the largest allocation, expressed appreciation for the support.
He said the materials would be used to roof a girls' dormitory that will accommodate about 168 students. According to Elasu, the facility is intended to reduce teenage pregnancies associated with girls staying overnight at Kalaki Trading Centre.
The school has 1,139 students, including 498 girls. Elasu expressed optimism that completing the dormitory, which is currently at the roofing stage, would help reduce such cases.
Allan Erou, a lay reader at Kibimo Church of Uganda in Bululu subcounty, received 64 iron sheets to roof a lay reader's house.
He welcomed the support, saying he had previously been living in a small grass-thatched house that was difficult to maintain because of the shortage of grass. He said the assistance had answered their prayers.
Okirya said the support represented a major boost for the people of Teso by strengthening local government capacity to improve service delivery and promote local economic development through better infrastructure.
“For us in Teso, who have experienced the hardships of insurgency, receiving these supplies is akin to an affirmative action. It empowers our local government and strengthens our capacity to serve the community. The support from OPM not only improves service delivery in education, health, and sanitation but also fosters local economic growth by improving road conditions and public infrastructure,” Okirya stated.
Kalaki chief administrative officer Franco Olaboro said the district has long struggled with shortages of classrooms and inadequate facilities for teachers and school kitchens. He said the delivery of iron sheets would help address some of these challenges and urged beneficiaries to use the materials for their intended purposes.
Kalaki district chairperson Moses Oriada also encouraged beneficiaries to utilise the iron sheets instead of leaving them in storage.
Kalaki Secondary School headteacher Abraham Elasu, whose school received 300 iron sheets, the largest allocation, expressed appreciation for the support.
He said the materials would be used to roof a girls' dormitory that will accommodate about 168 students. According to Elasu, the facility is intended to reduce teenage pregnancies associated with girls staying overnight at Kalaki Trading Centre.
The school has 1,139 students, including 498 girls. Elasu expressed optimism that completing the dormitory, which is currently at the roofing stage, would help reduce such cases.
Allan Erou, a lay reader at Kibimo Church of Uganda in Bululu subcounty, received 64 iron sheets to roof a lay reader's house.
He welcomed the support, saying he had previously been living in a small grass-thatched house that was difficult to maintain because of the shortage of grass. He said the assistance had answered their prayers.