Otuke Resident District Commissioner has declined to receive a pit latrine constructed at Ogwete HCIII over shoddy work.
Bataka Constructors and Traders Ltd was awarded a 24million shilling contract to construct a 4 stance pit latrine at the health center within a period of 3 months. On Friday, the company invited district officials to receive the complete facility, however, Jillian Akullo, the RDC declined to receive the latrine citing shoddy work.
Akullo argued that the contractor did not only use weak materials but also did not follow the project design. She cited the fixed doors without glasses, no water passway in the bathrooms, and weak slabs used in the latrines as challenges which have to be fixed before the project hand over.
Translation:“Bataka has things to be corrected there and for that reason, in this meeting I will not waste my time on them and therefore, Bataka’s project of 4 stance toilet I will not receive it on behalf of the Central Government unless the problems have been fixed. We saw that in the toilet there, the bathroom has a flat water outlet because the pipe is very small and so it should be changed. Also we are worried that the slab inside the first stance is weak and might collapse and bring for us problems, so all in all we are not receiving this today.” In his response Gilbert Opio, the contractor who acknowledged that his workers might have made some mistakes said he will have the problems fixed by next week so that the facility can be in use.
Meanwhile the RDC received a twin house for staff constructed by Wangji General Enterprise Uganda Ltd at the same health center. Ogwete which serves a vast population in the district had only one staff house which was accommodating 8 out of its 14 staffs.
Peter Ocwic, who is in charge of the facility, explained that some of his staff used to sleep in the kitchen, some outside the health center while others share the only available staff house so the new structure is a blessing to them.
Ambrose Otim, a staff at the health center says with all staff being accommodated within the facility, delays will be minimized and thus improving service delivery to the clients.
Government approved the upgrade of Ogwete from level II to III status to improve on the patient numbers and quality of services offered to the people. The facility which has 14 staff serves a vast community including those from the neighboring districts of Abim, Amuria and Napak.
