Poor roads like this in Gulu, Uganda, affecting business in East Africa

The Uganda Road Fund has released 69 billion shillings to fund maintenance of National, District Urban and Community access roads in the first quarter of 2010/2011.

The money will be given to the Uganda National Road Authority and all Local Government that will use the money for the maintenance of the various roads in the sector.

The Executive Director of the fund Micheal Odongo has said in a press statement that however those districts that have not satisfactorily accounted for the money earlier given to them to maintain the roads will not be given more money.

He says the local governments should come in and quickly account for the money at least by 16th July if they hope to access the funding from the fund.

Odomg the local governments should also give the fund the various work plans that they will use to spend this money when carrying out the maintenance of the roads.

Under Section 14 of the Uganda Road Fund Act the fund has powers to with hold payment to these institutions for the maintenance of roads if they fail to give proper accountability for the funds already given to such institutions and if they fail to give satisfactory work plans on how they will spend the money given to them for the maintenance of roads.

By Zacharia Tiberindwa, Ultimate Media