UWA irked by delay to tame stray elephants

Jun 15, 2011

The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has expressed concern over the delay by Nwoya district administration to dig trenches along the Murchison Falls National Game Park boundaries in Koch Goma sub-county. The move is aimed at controlling stray elephants from crossing to people’s gardens.

BYORNES LUBANGAKENE

The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has expressed concern over the delay by Nwoya district administration to dig trenches along the Murchison Falls National Game Park boundaries in Koch Goma sub-county. The move is aimed at controlling stray elephants from crossing to people’s gardens.

UWA gave sh100m to the district for the exercise. he concern was expressed in a letter addressed to the district chief administrative officer and signed by the conservation area manager ,Tom Obong Okello.

Obong said the money was sent to the district last month, but the trenches had never been dug. We got a receipt from the district acknowledging that the money reached the account. However, I am concerned that excavation of the trenches has not commenced,” Obong said.

Koch Goma sub-county chairman John Bosco Okullu tasked the district to explain why work had not started yet the money was received.

The district chairman, Patrick Oryema, said the work had not started because UWA sent the money without any write-up.

He said all the money sent to the district had to be accompanied by a write up showing how it is to be spent.

Oryema said the local government accounting regulations do not permit money sent to the district without write-ups to be used, saying they needed a confirmation letter from UWA to dig the trenches.

Okello said the district would use the complaint letter from UWA to start using the money saying they have started forming the taskforce at the district level and protected area management committees to handle the implementation of the trench digging.

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