Due to delays in World Bank-funded projects, Sh300 billion remains unutilized

Due to project delays, about Sh300 billion remained unutilized under the World Bank-funded Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development Programme.

Mr. Stephen Ajalu, the senior urban infrastructure specialist at the World Bank, stated that requests for additional money would only be considered if quality and deadlines are met.

“We can only respond to requests for additional financing if there is quality compliance while also staying within the contract timeframes,” he said. Due to the delays, a number of local authorities have returned huge sums of money to the consolidated.

Yumbe, Terego, Arua districts, and Arua City in WestNile, Lamwo, Kitgum, and Gulu in northern #Uganda are among the local governments executing the USMID.

Officials in Kitgum District voiced concern over the delayed construction of a stretch that includes Lakidi, Phillip Adongo, Janani Loum, Kitgum, Tom Apila, and Oneke roads in Central Division and Aya Hellen Dean in Pandwong Division.

The project, which began in March 2021 and was awarded to China Railway 18 Bureau Group for Shs16b, was supposed to be finished in 18 months.

The remaining work, according to Kitgum Municipality engineer Alex Abonga, cannot be accomplished without an extension.