By Emmanuel Alomu & Alfred Atwau
The State Minister for Works, Musa Ecweru, has disclosed that Amuria district is set to carry out an operation targeting crops planted in wetlands.
“You people have made a very big mistake to encroach on the wetlands. Anyone who has planted rice in the middle of the wetland, don’t even waste time to weed it because we are going to destroy it completely,” said Ecweru who is also the Amuria County MP.
The minister was monitoring different government programs and launching the disbursement of the Parish Development Model (PDM) funds to beneficiaries in Wera sub-county at Angole-Wera Primary School on Monday, June 26.
He directed the local leaders to take sensitise residents on the dangers of cultivating in the wetlands and also to show them the boundary between the wetland and upland.
Charles Apedu, the LC3 chairperson Wera sub-county, said the most affected parish from the practice is Opiriai and urged all communities to desist from the damaging practice.
Apedu said though people benefit from wetlands as they grow their crops, it should also be noted that these swamps are government property and people should follow its directives.
President Yoweri Museveni has on several occasions warned locals against encroaching on wetlands.
Residents commended the government for launching the disbursement of PDM funds at the sub-county level, saying other districts only launched at the district headquarters and yet there is a need to reach more people and provide information about the program.
Minister Ecweru assured the locals that everybody is supposed to receive sh1m, something that was appreciated by the beneficiaries who claimed that some were told they would receive less than a million shillings.
He began his sub-county tours in Ogolai, Abia and Amolo before Wera.
All the parishes in the district have received sh57m and the government will be add sh50m for each parish.
The seven parishes of Wera sub-county include Angole, Ajota, Olianai, Opiriai, Aten, Osekai and Wera on Monday received sh400m and Wera Town Council got sh164m.
Currently, Amuria district has received more than sh5.5bn.
Ecweru said he is to continue with the tours to reach all the sub-counties of the district, saying this is the only way the people will get the exact amount as budgeted by the government.
He urged all the beneficiaries to use the money appropriately in order to get out of poverty.
