OWC donates irrigation scheme worth over 100 million to Acholi chiefs

By Christopher Nyeko

Gulu: Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) has donated to all the 57 chiefdoms in Acholi an irrigation scheme worth 106 million shillings.

The donation came following the concept note that was presented to OWC, lobbying to support the chiefs with the irrigation scheme to help them practice growing high-value crops to elevate their economic status.

Each chiefdom was Thursday given  an irrigation scheme consisting of a solar panel of 200 watts, a water pipe of 100 meters, and a motor for pumping water.

The donations were handed over to the chiefs (Rwodi), who were accompanied by their spouses, at Ker Kwaro Acholi headquarters at Wigot in Kanayagoga, Bardege-Layibi division in Gulu City, by Acholi paramount chief Rwot Onen David Acana II.

The irrigation scheme is to help chiefs and their subjects practice growing high-value crops such as tomatoes, greens, and cabbages during the dry season.

Rwot Acana, while handing over these donations to chiefs, reveals to royalties that the irrigation scheme is part of his initiative aimed at elevating the economic status of the chiefs, whom he says are hardly struggling to fend for their families.

Acana, however, advises the chiefs who received the donations to be exemplary, make their home the model home, and serve as a demonstration plot.

Rwot Oywak, Joseph Ywakamoi, the chief of Koyo Chiefdom, is hopeful that during the dry season he is going to plan green in his vast land surrounded by a small stream.

Vincent Olango, an elder from Ker Kwaro Paicho, says their chiefdom is going to seek technical advice from their secretary for agriculture to determine how best the chiefdom and its subjects can utilize these precious donations.

Geoffrey Mugume, a program manager at Mercy Corp. in charge of the clean energy unit under the project dubbed Powering Uptake of Climate Change Mitigation-Pump reveals that Rwodi has been chosen as a pioneer lot for this three-year project.

Mugume added that during the implantation of the project, the chiefs will be supervised by agricultural extension workers to monitor whatever horticultural activities they are doing and be guided accordingly.

Vincent Sseremba, the president and co-founder of Tulima Solar Company, who delivered the irrigation scheme to Ker Kwaro Acholi, discloses that the irrigation scheme they delivered has the capacity to pump up to 9,000 liters of water in a day, a capacity he says can sprinkle up to 2 acres of garden on a daily basis.

He assured the chief that they were going to offer a two-year warranty.

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