Oyam MPs launch inspection of central government roads

28 July 2026, 9:06 pm

By Eman Yonah Oruk

In a significant development aimed at improving infrastructure and service delivery, Oyam South Constituency Member of Parliament Hon. Patrick Ogwang Obura, together with Oyam District Woman Member of Parliament and Minister of State for Economic Monitoring in the Office of the President Hon. Santa Alum Ogwang, have officially launched the inspection of central government roads in Oyam District.

The inspection exercise was conducted yesterday and covered several major routes with emphasis on Oyam South. The team moved from Loro to Oyam Town Council road, Oyam Town Council to Acaba road, Minakulu road, Minakulu Town Council to Mitaco road, Minakulu to Acimi, and Zambia to Kamdini road.

The initiative was led by Hon. Obura and Hon. Alum, who emphasised the importance of assessing challenges and monitoring progress on these critical roads.

Speaking to the press, Hon. Patrick Ogwang Obura, who also serves as Chairperson of the Lango Parliamentary Group, explained that the inspection was meant to reassure the community that government is actively working to improve infrastructure rather than merely debating in Parliament. He clarified that central government roads are the responsibility of the central government, district roads fall under district leadership, and subcounty roads are managed by subcounty authorities.

Eng. George Okite Okeng of Oyam District Local Government reported that Oyam has 150 kilometers of central government roads. He noted that grading of the Minakulu to Oyam Town Council Road has been completed, while work is ongoing on the Loro to Oyam Town Council Road. However, he highlighted that most central government roads remain in poor condition and appealed to the Ministry of Works to prioritise culvert installation and murraming to ease transportation of agricultural produce. He stressed that central government roads are worse off compared to district roads.

The LC III Chairperson of Loro Town Council expressed concern that the poor state of roads is causing accidents and losses to farmers and road users, and urged urgent intervention.

Similarly, Richard Okello Emuna, LC III Chairperson of Minakulu Town Council, called on residents to take ownership of government programs, stressing that roads must be properly used and maintained.

Felix Alex Majem, the Chief Administrative Officer of Oyam, revealed that the district has received 500 million shillings in the first quarter out of the 2 billion shillings allocated for roads this financial year. He encouraged Members of Parliament to participate in ground-breaking ceremonies to directly communicate the importance of road projects to the community.

The Resident District Commissioner of Oyam, Sgt. Shilako James, commended the unity among Members of Parliament and urged residents to help preserve the roads.

This inspection marks a vital step in addressing long-standing infrastructure challenges in Oyam District, reinforcing accountability, and ensuring that roads serve as a foundation for economic growth, accessibility, and improved livelihoods.