Firm to remove colonial metals from Lake Albert
A LOCAL company, II Chief, is to remove hundreds of deadly sharp metals and debris from Lake Albert.
By Mary Karugaba
A LOCAL company, II Chief, is to remove hundreds of deadly sharp metals and debris from Lake Albert.
The works ministry contracted the firm to remove the spikes that were erected in the lake by British colonialists to guard against invasion by the Belgians, the then colonial masters in neighbouring DR Congo.
In an April 8 letter, the contracts committee secretary, engineer Rwanga, said the chief government valuer would assess the value of the spikes, which would then be disposed of in accordance with the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Act.
The ministry’s director of transport, James Itazi, approved the removal of the spikes in an August 16, 2007 letter to the company.
He, however, added that the public procurement law provided for the assets evaluation and competitive bidding.
In an application letter of July 2007 to the works ministry, the II Chief company secretary, Raymond Kasaija, said they wanted to remove the spikes to retrieve sunken boats, one of which he said belonged to the Uganda Railways Corporation.
“The purpose of this letter is to seek your permission to dredge the lake bottom for the metal debris and spikes at our own cost and also be able to recover the costs by selling them,†he explained.
“I am not sure how many they are, but we estimate them to be several hundreds.â€
Each spike is estimated to be worth sh670,000.
Kasaija said the spikes were a transport hazard and lethal to the fishing community.
“They have frequently caused deaths and destroyed the fishermen’s nets.
“They are also an environmental hazard.â€
In an October 10, 2007 letter, Flugencio Magembe of the internal affairs ministry said the objects had damaged several vessels.
Mugisha Shillingi of the National Environment Management Authority and the defence ministry permanent secretary, Rossette Byengoma, have also approved the removal of the spikes.
A LOCAL company, II Chief, is to remove hundreds of deadly sharp metals and debris from Lake Albert.
The works ministry contracted the firm to remove the spikes that were erected in the lake by British colonialists to guard against invasion by the Belgians, the then colonial masters in neighbouring DR Congo.
In an April 8 letter, the contracts committee secretary, engineer Rwanga, said the chief government valuer would assess the value of the spikes, which would then be disposed of in accordance with the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Act.
The ministry’s director of transport, James Itazi, approved the removal of the spikes in an August 16, 2007 letter to the company.
He, however, added that the public procurement law provided for the assets evaluation and competitive bidding.
In an application letter of July 2007 to the works ministry, the II Chief company secretary, Raymond Kasaija, said they wanted to remove the spikes to retrieve sunken boats, one of which he said belonged to the Uganda Railways Corporation.
“The purpose of this letter is to seek your permission to dredge the lake bottom for the metal debris and spikes at our own cost and also be able to recover the costs by selling them,†he explained.
“I am not sure how many they are, but we estimate them to be several hundreds.â€
Each spike is estimated to be worth sh670,000.
Kasaija said the spikes were a transport hazard and lethal to the fishing community.
“They have frequently caused deaths and destroyed the fishermen’s nets.
“They are also an environmental hazard.â€
In an October 10, 2007 letter, Flugencio Magembe of the internal affairs ministry said the objects had damaged several vessels.
Mugisha Shillingi of the National Environment Management Authority and the defence ministry permanent secretary, Rossette Byengoma, have also approved the removal of the spikes.