500 households get clean safe water in Apac
Sep 28, 2014
Apac water committee officials have been warned against embezzling of funds collected by communities for the operations and maintenance of boreholes.
By Francis Emorut
Apac water committee officials have been warned against embezzling of funds collected by communities for the operations and maintenance of boreholes.
The warning was sounded by the Apac deputy Resident District Commissioner, John Robert Omuut during the commissioning of five boreholes in the district on Friday.
“I urge you to have a good heart when you are given money by the community for borehole maintenance. Don’t become ‘donors’ in the drinking joints. If you are found to have misappropriated the funds the law will catch up with you,” Omuut said.
The boreholes worth sh75m were drilled by International LifeLine Fund in conjunction with Uganda Breweries Limited are to benefit 500 households.
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The country director of International LifeLine Fund Nicholas Mancus helps a little girl to fetch water at one of the boreholes. PHOTO/Francis Emorut
The country director of International LifeLine Fund Nicholas Mancus helps a little girl to fetch water at one of the boreholes. PHOTO/Francis Emorut
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Apac women jubilating after the commissioning of the five boreholes. PHOTO/Francis Emorut
Apac women jubilating after the commissioning of the five boreholes. PHOTO/Francis Emorut
Omuut urged residents to join in on the fight against corruption that has bedeviled the country.
“Give us information about the people who are corrupt. If you have been cheated of some services you are supposed to get and you haven’t got, tell us and government will take action.
“Those corrupt officials are the problem after squandering government’s money.”
The deputy RDC also told residents to be mindful of sanitation and hygiene to avoid an outbreak of cholera.
Earlier, Omuut had faced a lot of difficulty traversing the district due to the poor roads in the area and his old Pickup vehicle got stuck and had to be pushed by his bodyguards.
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Nicholas Mancus, the country director of International LifeLine Fund urged residents of the area to maintain well the water source and avoid vandalizing it.
On her part, Lillian Akot, the corporate relations manager of Uganda Breweries Limited implored the community to take advantage of clean and safe water to bring up healthy families.
Still there were sentiments that more concerted efforts are needed to provide clean and safe water as the water coverage, according to Apac LC5 chairman Bob Okae, still stands at 77% in the district.
The district leader said there was improvement of sanitation in the district at 81% while washing hands with soap and water after visiting the toilet was still poor at 32%.
He said with the population of 371,000 people the district still has a long way to go to ensure that access to clean and safe water reaches everybody.
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Old men who are beneficiaries of the boreholes. PHOTO/Francis Emorut
Old men who are beneficiaries of the boreholes. PHOTO/Francis Emorut
Salibo Odyek, 67, the chairman of the disabled group in Inomo sub-county said the borehole is now so near his residence that he does not have to trek a previous distance of about 3km to collect water.
Another resident, Joseline Oculum said clean and safe water will improve the health of her family, while Sylvia Ecaka noted that she would be relieved of drinking spring water which would eventually improve her health.