By: Ismael Kasooha

Kyegegwa

Prime Minister of Uganda, Robinah Nabbanja, on Sunday, commissioned a multi-billion shillings administration block for Kyegegwa District.

The Sh2.6b structure was constricted by the Office of the Prime Minister under the Development Response to Displacement Impacts Project (DRDIP).

Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja cutting the tape to commission Kyegegwa District Local Government headquarters on Sunday

The Central Government and Local Government Ministry contributed sh600m towards the construction of the building.

DRDIP is being implemented in 15 refugee hosting districts – Arua, Koboko, Yumbe, Moyo, Adjumani, Obongi, Madi-Okollo, Terego, Lamwo, Hoima, Kikuube, Kiryandongo, Isingiro, Kyegegwa and Kamwenge.

New district administration blocks have been constructed in nine of these districts under DRDIP and new health facilities and schools have been constructed and equipped under this project which is designed to address the development needs of refugees and host communities.

Nabbanja congratulated the district leadership on completing the structure and urged the leaders to make good use of the building.

“There is value for money when you compare the building and the cost,” she said. “There are some districts that have got more than Sh4b but have not completed their administration blocks,” she added.

Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja unveiling the foundation stone at Kyegegwa District headquarters

The Prime Minister urged the leaders at various levels to utilise their positions to monitor the implementation of Government programmes.

John Byamukama Kisoke, the Kyegegwa District Chairperson thanked the Office of the Prime Minister for funding the construction of the administrative block.

Dr. Robert Limlim, the DRDIP director, said the district procured the contractor and monitored the construction of the building.

“The capacity of districts has greatly improved and they can now monitor and supervise such mega projects,” Limlim added. “Similar structures in nine districts are ready for commissioning,”

The district leadership asked the Government and partners to consider building and funding the second phase of the project to address other development needs. The first phase of this World Bank-funded project ends this year.

About DRDIP

DRDIP is a World Bank funded multi-regional project covering four countries in the East African Region.  DRDIP-Uganda, is a five-year project implemented under the Office of the Prime Minister.

The project provides development and direct income support to the poor and vulnerable within refugee hosting districts in Uganda.  DRDIP Uganda is funded by a USD 150 million grant and a USD 50 million IDA loan, approved by the World Bank in 2017 and became effective on June 17th 2017.

The development objective of DRDIP is to improve access to basic social services (health, education, water and sanitation), expand economic opportunities and enhance environmental management for refugee host district communities and settlements. The project addresses the social economic, and environmental impacts of protracted refugee presence in the host communities and refugee settlements through interlinked investment components.

DRDIP is currently being implemented in 15 Refugee hosting districts of Arua, Koboko, Yumbe, Moyo, Adjumani, Obongi, Madi-Okollo and Terego in the West Nile sub region), Lamwo, in Acholi sub region; Hoima, Kikuube, Kiryandongo in the Bunyoro sub region; Isingiro, Kyegegwa and Kamwenge in the South-Western sub-region.

DRDIP components include; Supporting investments in social services and economic infrastructure and building of the capacity of local Government units, Environmental Management activities, Investment in traditional and non-traditional livelihoods and support of the national and local level project coordination activities

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