How MP Oguzu’s Barifa Forest Project Is Benefiting Locals

ARUA. The planned development of part of Barifa Central Forest Reserve (CRF) into an eco-tourism and recreational park in Arua Central Division, Arua City has started taking shape.

This is after Denis Lee Oguzu, the Maracha County Member of Parliament (MP) gave an opportunity to locals to start clearing the site.

Oguzu won the bid to develop at least 10 hectares of Barifa CFR into an eco-tourism and recreational park from the National Forestry Authority (NFA) in 2019.

However, the work was delayed to take off after Arua City Council refused to approve his development plan on grounds that the building plans presented by the Legislator were not in conformity with the eco-tourism standard.

But NFA has continued to maintain that Oguzu followed all the necessary legal requirements to get the license to develop part of the forest reserve which is under their mandate.

Now after years of waiting, Oguzu has decided to employ the local residents of the city to start working on the site.

Speaking to journalists at the site on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, the locals clearing the bush narrated how the project is now benefiting them and their families back home.

 “MP Oguzu is paying us on a daily basis for the work we do here, and the money I’m getting is helping me to pay rent, buy food and pay school fees for my children. This is the benefit that I’m getting here. Secondly, I can see some of my fellow women are now passing here without any problem but before we cleared the area, women were being robbed and at times raped in this part of the forest. So, for me, I’m very happy with this project,” Nola Candiru, a resident of Goti Cell, Adumi ward in Ayivu Division said.

Candiru added that: “There were some thieves who used to terrorize people here but when we started working, these people came and joined us. We didn’t know whether they were thieves but we kept on working with them. We could give them money and food every day. One day, they confessed to us that they are the thieves who used to steal and hide here. They told us that if they had an opportunity to work like this, they wouldn’t have gone into stealing.”

Candiru said this is how the project is slowly changing the lives of people in the area, majority of whom are youths in the city.

“And majority of the people working here are from Ayivu Division; they are not from Maracha, they are not from elsewhere, they are getting their small monies here like what I was saying; this time, I’m paying rent and my children’s school fees. This is the benefit I’m getting from this project,” Candiru emphasized.

Levi Adroa, a resident of Omoyia Cell in Kati Ward, Ayivu Division said since NFA allowed MP Oguzu to develop part of the forest reserve, they have come to start working at his site as casual laborers so as to get some money to support their families on the daily basis.

“In fact, we are now very happy that we have been able to get pens for our children, some soap and whatever we can get money for our sustainability at home. Therefore, I think it is a gallant decision and a developmental idea promoted by the government and implemented now by MP Oguzu who has given us employment opportunities here. We hope after slashing, the real development and use of this small area will create more employment opportunities not only for us, but for those who will be coming to work here in various capacities,” Adroa said.

Adroa prayed to the government officials in Arua City to consider welcoming more investors of such nature in order to create more employment opportunities for the youths in the area.

Similarly, Gasper Piriyo, the spokesperson of Save Ayivu Initiative (SAI), a local organization advocating for the creation of Ayivu district, said for them as SAI, they are 100 percent behind MP Oguzu because he genuinely won the bid to develop part of the forest reserve in to an eco-tourism and recreational park.

“So, what you are seeing here is Oguzu has given an opportunity for the youth to clear and clean under the trees so that he can start his physical development. So, the youths have come here to work, when they work, they get some small pay for soap and for their needs. I think this is a positive development,” Piriyo stated.

“Remember, about 80 percent of Ugandans are youths and the biggest problem is unemployment, so if one of the sons of West Nile has won a bid to develop an eco-tourism center and part of the bid is giving youths employment opportunities, what is wrong with that? So, when we are here, we are saying it is okay, Oguzu is welcome, nobody should frustrate his effort to develop the area. In fact, we are urging all the locals and stakeholders including the leaders of Arua City to support Hon. Oguzu Lee so that this development can continue to benefit our people,” Piriyo added.

Piriyo’s appeal came at a time, Oguzu had already taken a step of threatening to sue Arua City Council for delaying his eco-tourism project after failing to approve his development plan.

Through his Lawyers, MMAKS Advocates, Oguzu averred that despite several requests for Arua city council to perform its statutory obligations and approve the building plans, it has failed, refused and/or neglected to oblige, for which he holds Arua city council liable for breach of its statutory duties.

According to the lawyers, their client appealed to the National Physical Planning Board (NPPB) which on November 30, 2023 advised that Oguzu’s project would not have an adverse effect as expressed by Arua City Council.

However, Henry Odama, the Arua City Lawyer, acknowledged receipt of the notice of intention to sue the council early this year, and said they are still following the guidelines issued by the National Physical Planning Board (NPPB) to hold a consultative meeting, which was later held and ended prematurely.