Members of parliament on the Agriculture committee have discovered ghost irrigation dams and valley tanks in Karamoja and Teso sub-regions.
The discovery has been made in relation to knowledge that the government released billions of shillings for the construction of these dams. The dams were to be constructed in order to foster agriculture in the two regions.
What we found was that some of the dams that are being talked about are not even existing, for example Paylong dam which is supposed to help the community of Kotido isn’t even existing. What we saw at the site of Pylong is some pond with weeds grown all over the place and I think that one was constructed by the Ministry of Water,” Janet Okori-Moe, the Chairperson Agriculture Committee reported.
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She also noted that there is another in Abim district that isn’t functional at all and she thinks the work was never completed .
Karamoja project scandals have emerged time and again to the dismay of citizens. The most recent was a scandal for iron sheets where several ministers misappropriated the items.
Ngoboka Ronald , a social media user on X responded to the revelation saying ; “Ohh God , people have enriched themselves in these Karamoja support projects, though not shocking, from Goats, To Iron sheets & now to irrigation Dams.”
Ben Waiswa , an X user recommended that Karamoja’s story can only change when the rightful stake holders are engaged .
“If efforts were made to involve key stakeholders in the planning and implementation, chances are high the story would have been different. But we sent Nandutu, Maria Gorretti, etc, to think, plan and implement for Karamoja.”