Pader district commissions 18 boreholes and new VIP latrine

22 July 2026, 9:37 am

By Geoffrey Okwong

 Pader District has commissioned eight newly drilled boreholes, rehabilitated 10 old deep boreholes, and handed over a new four-stance drainable VIP latrine in a move aimed at improving access to safe water and sanitation services across rural communities.

The projects were implemented during the 2025/2026 financial year with funding from the Government of Uganda under the District Water and Sanitation Conditional Grant (DWSCG).

According to the District Water Officer, Patrick Olanya, the district invested UGX 276,900,450 in the water and sanitation interventions.

Olanya said UGX 174,500,000 was spent on drilling and installing eight new deep boreholes, UGX 77,546,000 on rehabilitating 10 old deep boreholes, and UGX 24,854,450 on constructing the four-stance drainable VIP latrine at Tebeyo Pa Okwir Market in Burbobo Parish, Angagura Sub-county.

The newly drilled boreholes were installed in Laodo Village in Ogom Sub-county, Ogeng South in Pader Town Council, Tumayi Village in Porogali Sub-county, Pagor and Wang Oywelo Valley Tank in Pukor Sub-county, Olam Kiceke West in Latanya Sub-county, Agunya in Pader Sub-county, and Aringogwa in Lapul Sub-county.

The rehabilitated boreholes are located in Barodyek, Lanyatono A, Puda, Kilak Central, Luny-but West, Amoko Lagwai, Lajwee, Obakoor, Lacektar, and Gotolal across various sub-counties and town councils.

Olanya said all the facilities were completed according to the approved specifications and were already being used by the beneficiary communities.

The sanitation facility at Tebeyo Pa Okwir Market includes rainwater harvesting tanks, handwashing facilities, and tree planting around the site to promote hygiene and environmental protection.

He added that water and sanitation committees had been formed and trained to oversee the operation and maintenance of the facilities, although maintenance remains a challenge in some communities.

The District Water Officer also revealed that safe sanitation coverage in Pader District stands at 69 percent, while about 31 percent of the population still practices open defecation. He called for continued community sensitization and stronger household investment in sanitation.

Speaking during the handover, Pader Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Amos Assimwe Bangy called for a mindset change among community members regarding latrine use, noting that the number of households using latrines remains low.

He urged all stakeholders to play an active role in improving sanitation and hygiene in their communities.

Amos Assimwe the RDC in front, behind in a cloured jacket is Eng. Patrick Olanya the water officer for Pader at one of the water source in Laodo Village, Kiteny Parish in Ogom Sub county.

Assimwe also assured residents of continued government support, saying more government programmes would be rolled out in addition to those already being implemented.

Representing the Chief Administrative Officer, Joyce Anek Ongee, the Principal Assistant Secretary in the Office of the CAO, addressed residents of Tumayi Village in Latayi Parish, Porogali Sub-county, and urged parish chiefs to continue collecting community priorities and submitting them to the district for possible action.

Anek emphasized that every beneficiary community has a responsibility to protect and maintain the water source. She encouraged households to contribute UGX 2,000 per month toward a maintenance fund to support repairs whenever a borehole breaks down.

She also advised sub-county authorities to keep proper written records of village and parish development plans, saying undocumented efforts would be difficult to verify and follow up.

Anek further warned individuals who donated land for the water projects against attempting to reclaim it later, stressing that once land agreements are signed, the sites become community facilities.

She cited a previous case in which a landowner withdrew consent after initially offering land, causing an entire village to miss out on a water project.

The commissioning was attended by Patrick Okello, the Vice Chairperson LC V; Esther Lalam, Secretary for Works; the DISO Pader; the Assistant DISO; staff from the Pader District Water Department; and Patricia Auma, the Senior Environmental Officer.

District leaders urged residents to protect the newly installed infrastructure and work closely with local water user committees to ensure the facilities remain functional for many years.

The commissioning forms part of Pader District’s broader efforts to expand safe water coverage and improve sanitation services in both rural growth centres and hard-to-reach communities.