A motorboat transporting passengers on River Nile. On the left, a ferry with passengers docking. Photo by Robert Ariaka

ADJUMANI- The Government should speed up the construction of a bridge on River Nile that connects Moyo to Adjumani and South Sudan, Gen. Moses Ali, the First Deputy Prime Minister, said on Saturday while addressing people at Adjumani town council.

Ali said he would ensure that the Government completes its projects.

He said the project will be completed with funding from the African Development Bank (ABD).

Other pending projects include tarmacking of the road that connects Atiak to Laropi with funding from the European Union and that from Laropi to Moyo and Afoji border with South Sudan using funding from ADB.

There is also the Moyo-YumbeKoboko road, funded by the World Bank as a benefit for Uganda hosting refugees.

Moses Ali said the Government also secured funding from a Japanese government through the Japan International Co-operation Agency to construct the Moyo-KulikulingaTerego-Arua road, which connects the West Nile region to South Sudan.

He said once the roads are constructed, they will boost the country's economic development and also improve household incomes by boosting trade in West Nile.

On the issue of youth, Ali said the money under Emyooga is available and asked the youth to access it by undertaking projects in groups.

He distributed masks to the people, and also urged them to observe social distancing.

Using ferry

Yasin Swaib, a boat operator at the Laropi landing site, said every passenger is charged sh2,000 and sh3,000 for those with luggage.  In one trip, Swaib makes sh15,000 and can make up to sh100,000 per day.

He pays the owner of the boat sh90,000, leaving him with sh10,000.

Swaib said some passengers fear using the motorboat.

At Laropi landing site, there are nine boat operators who work alongside the ferry transport system, managed by the Uganda National Roads Authority.