Amuru RDC stops distribution of seeds
Nov 05, 2009
THE Amuru resident district commissioner (RDC), Edwin Yakobo Komakech, recently stopped the distribution of seeds by the Norwegian Refugees Council (NRC) to farmers in Amuru sub-county.
By Justin Moro
THE Amuru resident district commissioner (RDC), Edwin Yakobo Komakech, recently stopped the distribution of seeds by the Norwegian Refugees Council (NRC) to farmers in Amuru sub-county.
Komakech said distributing seeds late in October was not proper since the next planting season was in March next year.
He said there was a risk of farmers eating the seeds, which have been treated with chemicals, putting their lives in danger.
The RDC urged the farmers who had received the millet and sorghum seeds to return them to the officials who were distributing them.
Komakech also informed the farmers that some people recently broke into the stores where the seeds were kept and stole over 110 bags of seeds. Some suspects, he added, had been arrested by the Police and were helping with investigations.
He said his office would ask the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the district leadership, to explain why NRC was distributing the seeds after the planting season.
Amuru district speaker Michael Lakony said described the distribution exercise as an abuse of the authority of the district leadership. Lakony told the farmers that the NRC was distributing the seeds for purposes of accountability.
The head of FAO in Gulu, Joseph Oneka, while meeting the RDC and Amuru district LC5 vice-chairman, Justine Oloya, apologised for the wrong timing.
Oneka told the two officials that their organisations had agreed that the seed distribution ends by October 10. He wondered why the exercise dragged on to October 30.
Oloya, however, said if NRC does not give a clear explanation, they will be thrown out of the district.
THE Amuru resident district commissioner (RDC), Edwin Yakobo Komakech, recently stopped the distribution of seeds by the Norwegian Refugees Council (NRC) to farmers in Amuru sub-county.
Komakech said distributing seeds late in October was not proper since the next planting season was in March next year.
He said there was a risk of farmers eating the seeds, which have been treated with chemicals, putting their lives in danger.
The RDC urged the farmers who had received the millet and sorghum seeds to return them to the officials who were distributing them.
Komakech also informed the farmers that some people recently broke into the stores where the seeds were kept and stole over 110 bags of seeds. Some suspects, he added, had been arrested by the Police and were helping with investigations.
He said his office would ask the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the district leadership, to explain why NRC was distributing the seeds after the planting season.
Amuru district speaker Michael Lakony said described the distribution exercise as an abuse of the authority of the district leadership. Lakony told the farmers that the NRC was distributing the seeds for purposes of accountability.
The head of FAO in Gulu, Joseph Oneka, while meeting the RDC and Amuru district LC5 vice-chairman, Justine Oloya, apologised for the wrong timing.
Oneka told the two officials that their organisations had agreed that the seed distribution ends by October 10. He wondered why the exercise dragged on to October 30.
Oloya, however, said if NRC does not give a clear explanation, they will be thrown out of the district.