Arua City Council Approves Shs1.5bn for Solar Lights
Arua City
ARUA. Arua city council has approved shs1,523,158,000 for the procurement of additional solar lights.
The money is part of the shs2,023,158,000 sent to the city coffers to supplement deficits on existing Uganda Support to Municipal/City Infrastructure Development (USMID) projects this financial year as the program came to an end on June 30, 2024.
While presenting the request before council on Monday, October 14, 2024, Moses Adriko, the Secretary Finance, Planning and Administration, said Arua city USMID road works were completed apart from contractual claims that need to be settled worth shs500,000,000.
The shs500m is the money left after the approval of the funds required for procuring solar lights.
“In the wisdom of the city executive committee, it recommended that the available fund be used for supply and installation of additional solar lights which will be more cost effective and beneficial to the city since according to the assessment of the department, there are a number of streets without lights and therefore pose a high security threat to the public,” Adriko said.
He added that the shs1.5bn will be enough to procure 190 to 200 solar lights without additional expenses in procurement of the contractor and consultant.
Adriko told council that the proposed solar lights will be installed along State Lodge – Mvara SS gate to MUBS gate, Arua Hill roundabout to Ewuata at the border with Arua district and Ediofe Cathedral roads.
“Madam Speaker, for all the reasons advanced above, I therefore beg to move that this council approves shs1,523,158,000 for procurement of additional solar lights,” Adriko submitted during the council meeting chaired by Gloria Teddy Yeko, the Arua City Speaker.
James Adia Yoti, the councilor representing the people of Ayivu Central to the city council, supported the motion to approve the said money on grounds that the streets earmarked for solar lighting have for long been posing a lot of security threat to the people at night.
Adia singled out the Ediofe Cathedral road which he said wrong elements are using to threaten the lives of people, especially the students of Ediofe Girls’ secondary school.
According to Adia, criminals are taking advantage of the dark street to target Ediofe Girls’ students at the school and many other users of the road during night hours.
He thanked the city executive committee for coming up with the idea of lighting up the streets and appealed to all his colleagues to support the move by passing the shs1.5bn required for that purpose.
It is for this reason and more that the council finally approved the said money for the procurement of additional solar lights.