Nasasira, the potholes are looking you in the face!
Nov 06, 2008
EDITOR—The works and transport minister, John Nasasira, is quoted in <i>the New Vision</i> of November 4 as having ‘grilled’ the Kampala mayor, Nasser Ntege Sebaggala over pot-holes that are a menace on Kampala streets, despite the sh20b allocated to Kampala to maintain roads.
EDITOR—The works and transport minister, John Nasasira, is quoted in the New Vision of November 4 as having ‘grilled’ the Kampala mayor, Nasser Ntege Sebaggala over pot-holes that are a menace on Kampala streets, despite the sh20b allocated to Kampala to maintain roads.
He said the money was allocated ahead of the Commonwealth Summit a year ago, but potholes still dominate and the public continue to condemn him, sparing the mayor.
This is unfair to the mayor. Of recent, the local government ministry and the central government have pushed KCC against the wall, intending to run it centrally.
By the time of the CHOGM, the mayor was really marginally participating. The sharks in the central ministries took over the city. If the minister is not aware of how the roads funds are ‘eaten’, here is the scenario:
Road contractors of the ministry are the main conduits for outflows, by influencing the over-valuation of works, then doing shoddy work which are approved as ‘excellent’.
So the ‘savings’ are conveniently passed on to the ministry bureaucrats.
The promise is that next time the road deteriorates, the same contractor is assured of a contract, and the cycle continues.
To blame it all on the mayor is just passing the buck to the wrong party. The buck should stop with the minister.
Mr. Minister, the potholes are looking you squarely in the face, so please do something about the appalling situation.
Geoffrey Obiny
Soroti
He said the money was allocated ahead of the Commonwealth Summit a year ago, but potholes still dominate and the public continue to condemn him, sparing the mayor.
This is unfair to the mayor. Of recent, the local government ministry and the central government have pushed KCC against the wall, intending to run it centrally.
By the time of the CHOGM, the mayor was really marginally participating. The sharks in the central ministries took over the city. If the minister is not aware of how the roads funds are ‘eaten’, here is the scenario:
Road contractors of the ministry are the main conduits for outflows, by influencing the over-valuation of works, then doing shoddy work which are approved as ‘excellent’.
So the ‘savings’ are conveniently passed on to the ministry bureaucrats.
The promise is that next time the road deteriorates, the same contractor is assured of a contract, and the cycle continues.
To blame it all on the mayor is just passing the buck to the wrong party. The buck should stop with the minister.
Mr. Minister, the potholes are looking you squarely in the face, so please do something about the appalling situation.
Geoffrey Obiny
Soroti