Residents of Gulu City are irked by the rampant theft of water meters by unknown people. The water meters are reportedly stolen and sold to dealers who extract the copper materials and melt them into other valuable products.
Nasula Akongo, a resident of Pece –Laroo Division in Gulu City says that her water meter was stolen in November last year by unknown people at night and that her neighbor also lost two of her meters that same night.
According to Akongo, she has to pay 101,000 Shillings to acquire a new one upon obtaining a letter from the police. Akongo revealed that she has now built barricades around the new meter to guard it against being stolen.
Ronnie Onen, a resident of Forgod Ward, Bardege –Layibi Division in Gulu City says that since 2019 to date, he has been battling with the thieves. According to Onen, his tap was vandalized by the thieves after they failed to steal the new water meter since he secured it with metals.
Charles Oywak Oling, another resident whose meter was also stolen last year when he was away from home disclosed that the vice is very common in the area of Lacan –Kwite in Bardege –Layibi Division in Gulu City.
Ivan Tekakwo, the Communication Officer at NWSC Gulu Office says that from October last year to date, they have received close to 1,000 cases of stolen water meters from their clients. He says that the theft of the water meters has greatly affected the water supply in affected areas.
Tekakwo revealed that the vice is very rampant in the areas like Layibi Central in Pece –Laroo Division, as well as the central business district, among others.
He also revealed that all the complaints they received have been referred to the police to investigate. Tekakwo appealed to the locals to safeguard their meters jealously since the process of replacing them is very tedious and expensive. A new meter costs 101,000 Shillings.
David Mudong Ongom, the Aswa River Region Police Spokesperson confirmed the incidents saying the police are investigating some of the cases reported. He also advised the locals whose water meters have been stolen to report to police so that it is followed up.
