Nebbi Church of Uganda enter a partnership to establish a  packing yard  at Goli one-stop border point

By Mike Rwothomio and Ofoymungu Lee

Nerve-racking concerns about fruits like watermelon, Guavas, Mangoes etc shooting up or sprouting without being planted along the road at the Goli one-stop border point in Nebbi District is common amongst the community that stays within that area.

This according to the locals is arising as a result of open defecation,  by mostly truck drivers travelling to and from DR Congo, who lack basic public places of convenience.

Many local leaders like the LC 1 Chairperson of Goli Boma East Village Jupangira sub-county   Abok Phillips Kayomba, wonder why “a multi-billion Government project of such a nature have been operating Without a parking yard and Place of convenience for ages”.

Ladened with high traffic, Goli one-stop border point, just a stone’s throw from The Headquarters of the Church of Uganda Nebbi Diocese,  is one of the biggest customs in greater Nebbi clearing on average over thirty trucks daily.

Greater Nebbi is the biggest revenue-generating point for the government of Uganda given its busiest operation.

Many businesses like hotels, restaurants, and secretarial services amongst others always blossom.

Notwithstanding the area executive look with one of the most expensive structures that the Government of Uganda spent billions to invest in, Goli one-stop border point has been for ages operating without a packing yard, meaning, truck drivers spent nights by the roadside in their trucks and case of any call of nature, The nearby bush become a place of convenience thus creating a huge feeling of anxiety amongst the area residents.

Delays in Clearance occasioned by a combination of factors ranging from reported technical glitches, backlog, and corruption amongst others by the URA clearing agents times make truck drivers wait for even weeks before they are cleared.

The snaking queues of Danger petroleum trucks that line up nearly 2 killometres awaiting clearance frustrate truck drivers to the core though the long stay of these truck drivers at the customs has a tremendous impact on business in the area.

The missing parking yard makes the truck drivers resort to Open defecation along the roadside due to the lack of public places of convenience. This according to locals is exposing them to diseases.

The concerns about the lack of a parking yard have been mounting for a long now, since 2021, the customs has been severally registering cases of dangerous petroleum trucks ramming into buildings and causing avoidable accidents.

The roads alone are too narrow in the area and the situation becomes worse given the unavailability of a packing yard. This creates a feeling of unease amongst not only the truck drivers but even other road users.

The Locals at Goli border customs say all the accidents occur because the drivers don’t have a strategic location to pack their trucks.

The sanitation crisis, repeated accident cases, and other looming social challenges amongst others,  have triggered a call to action by  Nebbi Diocese Church of  Uganda, to enter into a memorandum of understanding with a private company called Compunet CRB (U) Limited,  to establish a packing yard in the area.

 The  Church Project that will sit on 4 acres of  Church land is called Goli Business Center. Under it, the Church tends to establish a  Packing Yard for trucks, washing bays, Secretarial bureaus, and restaurants, amongst others.

Emmanuel Niwamanya, The Contractor and the project developer hints that the funds for the completion of the project are about  Ugx 300 million. The  Construction time frame for the completion is six months this  Publication has learnt.

 Niwamanya said The five-year renewable contract will establish a  structure that amongst others shall   “address hygiene, provide job opportunities, address idleness,  and give revenue to the government in terms of local and international taxes”.

According to him, renewing this contract will depend on their agreement with the church.

He added, ” The project will start in phases that include levelling, fencing, restaurants, security cameras installation and other components up to the fully established structure”.

This project is coming at a time when the Church is looking for self-sustainability. Hope is sky-high amongst the church leaders that it will generate some revenue to strengthen the ministry of God.

The world is on track to eliminate open defecation by 2030, if not by 2025, but historical rates of progress would need to double for the world to achieve universal coverage with basic sanitation services by 2030 according to the World Health Organization.

The situation of open defecation particularly in dense, low-income and informal areas, is a growing challenge.

The LCV chairperson of Nebbi District Emmanuel Orombi in an interview recently said that the District agreed with Nebbi Diocese church of Uganda, Under a Private private-public partnership to address the challenge of hygiene, safety and other social aspects like prostitution in the area.

“Community have been complaining about open defecation at Goli one-stop border point,  especially along the football field. It’s so wanting, we tend to advise the central government about the real situation on the ground here,  but they go too professional”.Orombi told this Publication recently.

He added that ” we are entering into a partnership with Church of Uganda Nebbi Diocese under Private Public Partnership which is not only  focusing on Profit making but   the social challenges like prostitution, safety amongst others “

The church perspective

In an interview with the whispereye news, The Nebbi Diocese church Of Uganda Diocesan Secretary Christopher Ongi explained that the church got involved in the initiative to address the continuous rampant accident cases that are claiming the lives of the people of God in the area.

He expressed optimism  that the project which shall include components of, Parking Yard, washing bay, Secretarial services, Banking agents, and restaurants amongst others shall not only benefit the church but also create employment opportunities for idle youths in the area adding that the government will also generate revenue from the venture.

The two Parties have agreed on the percentage that Shall be given to the church out of the profits accruing from the business venture till the contractor will recover his injected funds.

The project upon completion shall see the Nebbi District local government coming out with strong guidelines and measures barring roadside parking to reduce mess on the road along the one-stop border point. The measures shall be implemented by the Security and the  URA enforcement team.