MPs block construction of market in Juba
Sep 07, 2009
MEMBERS of Parliament (MPs) on the foreign affairs parliamentary committee have halted the construction of a proposed market in Juba, South Sudan.
MEMBERS of Parliament (MPs) on the foreign affairs parliamentary committee have halted the construction of a proposed market in Juba, South Sudan, reports Madinah Tebajjukira.
The committee in its report to Parliament on the recurrent and development estimates for the foreign affairs ministry for the year 2009/10 said there were no modalities for the management of the fund and the entire project.
The sh1.733b market was anticipated to support Ugandan traders operating business in Juba, which has of recent become a busy business hub.
The project was supposed to commence in the 2009/10 financial year.
In the report, the legislators noted that whereas it is a good development for the region, it would be difficult to implement it in the absence a policy framework.
“In the absence of a policy on the acquisition, development and management of properties abroad, the committee strongly considers this project untenable until such a framework is in place,†read the committee report.
Instead, the legislators reallocated sh800m meant for the construction of the market to the Dubai /Abu Dhabi mission.
Another sh600m was reallocated for the Bujumbura mission, and sh333m reallocated as commitment fee for the acquisition of a plot of land in Beijing, China offered to Uganda by the Chinese government.
The report also noted that sh1.5b meant to facilitate the opening of the new mission in Bujumbura, Burundi and consulates in Abu Dhabi and Mombasa was too little.
They noted that though Uganda had both business and political interest in Mombasa and Bujumbura, it may not be able to fulfil its ambitions if more funds were not provided.
The committee in its report to Parliament on the recurrent and development estimates for the foreign affairs ministry for the year 2009/10 said there were no modalities for the management of the fund and the entire project.
The sh1.733b market was anticipated to support Ugandan traders operating business in Juba, which has of recent become a busy business hub.
The project was supposed to commence in the 2009/10 financial year.
In the report, the legislators noted that whereas it is a good development for the region, it would be difficult to implement it in the absence a policy framework.
“In the absence of a policy on the acquisition, development and management of properties abroad, the committee strongly considers this project untenable until such a framework is in place,†read the committee report.
Instead, the legislators reallocated sh800m meant for the construction of the market to the Dubai /Abu Dhabi mission.
Another sh600m was reallocated for the Bujumbura mission, and sh333m reallocated as commitment fee for the acquisition of a plot of land in Beijing, China offered to Uganda by the Chinese government.
The report also noted that sh1.5b meant to facilitate the opening of the new mission in Bujumbura, Burundi and consulates in Abu Dhabi and Mombasa was too little.
They noted that though Uganda had both business and political interest in Mombasa and Bujumbura, it may not be able to fulfil its ambitions if more funds were not provided.