Local Governments Minister Raphael Magyezi has pledged to personally intervene in the long-running dispute over asset sharing between Gulu City and Gulu District.
The announcement follows complaints by city leaders that the continued occupation of major city facilities by district officials is hampering city operations, years after Gulu attained city status in July 2020.
Gulu City officials protested that, despite government allocating Shs1 billion to Gulu District to construct its administrative headquarters in Awach Town Council, most district technocrats still operate from offices within the city.
Speaking at the official launch of the newly constructed Laroo-Pece Division Council Hall on Saturday, Gulu City Mayor Alfred Okwonga said the district’s continued occupation of city infrastructure has become a major obstacle to the city’s growth and a potential source of conflict.
The mayor says the city is unable to operate at full capacity because several key areas remain inaccessible, including Pece War Memorial Stadium, which he says is still controlled by Gulu District.
Okwonga further reveals that the city lost Shs5.5 billion earmarked for the renovation of Sir Samuel Baker Secondary School after the district reportedly declined to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) allowing the funds to be utilized by the city.
Peter Banya, Deputy Resident City Commissioner in charge of Laroo-Pece Division, calls for urgent intervention from the Ministry of Local Government, arguing that some critical infrastructures have been abandoned yet the district still claims ownership.
In response, Minister Magyezi urges patience, stressing that government had already taken steps to facilitate the district’s relocation, including allocating Shs1 billion to commence construction of its headquarters in Awach Town Council.
Leave a Reply