Gulu city fails to demolish over 300 condemned houses
The councilors feared that if these structures are left unturned, it risks the lives of the people living in Gulu City because they may collapse and cause serious injuries to the occupants and their neighbors.
By Christopher Nyeko
Gulu: Gulu city council has not commenced the process of demolishing over 300 dilapidated structures which were condemned by the Gulu city engineers and recommended to be demolished.
Odong Morsih, the directly elected councilor V for Pece-Laroo division in Gulu city, on Tuesday wondered why the council, especially the law enforcement team, had failed to demolish even a single structure recommended for demolition.
Odong says some of the condemned structures are undergoing refurbishment by its owner while other condemned Storey buildings are undergoing face-lifting.
The councilors feared that if these structures are left unturned, it risks the lives of the people living in Gulu City because they may collapse and cause serious injuries to the occupants and their neighbors.
Omara Christo Balmoyi, the Gulu city engineer says engineering departments have given their recommendation to the Gulu city council adding that it is now incumbent upon the council to direct the law enforcement officers on the modalities of demolishing this structure.
Alfred Okwonga, the Gulu city Mayor was on 24th October during the UN Day hosted in Gulu city asked UN-inhabitant to consider funding establishment of low cost structures to accommodates people he said were forcefully displaced in Gulu city during insurgencies and they are currently unable have a decent housing.
And they are the majority of people who are occupying the depilated structures and grass-thatched houses in Gulu City.
On Monday, November 13, a team from National Housing Uganda, headed by Norbert Mao, the minister of justice and constitutional affairs, paid a courtesy visit to the office of Gulu city mayor to reveal their intention to establish their regional office in Gulu city.
Eng. Kenneth Kaijuka, the Chief Executive Officer of National Housing and Construction Limited, says once they establish their regional office in Gulu City, the cost of construction materials will lower and the procurement process for government entities will be easier as bureaucratic processes will be set aside.
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