Oyam South MP blames fuel shortage for stalled roadworks

16 October 2026, 2:56 am

By Eman Yonah Oruk

The Member of Parliament for Oyam South, Hon. Patrick Ogwang Obura, has raised concerns over the suspension of government roadworks in Oyam District, attributing the delays to a shortage of fuel needed to operate road construction equipment.

Hon. Ogwang told Parliament that work on several key roads had stalled, leaving construction machinery idle in Minakulu for nearly three months.

The affected roads include:

• Kamdini–Zambia–Minakulu road (approximately 48 km)
• Minakulu–Anyeke–Loro road (about 38 km)
• Aduku–Teboke–Loro road (around 35 km)
• Aber–Kililani road (roughly 28 km)

He noted that less than 10 kilometres of road had been worked on during this period. The poor condition of some roads, particularly the Kililani road, has severely affected accessibility and the transportation of agricultural produce to markets.

The legislator appealed to the Ministry of Works and Transport to provide sufficient fuel to resume construction and grading works. He also requested an update on the condition of road construction equipment deployed to stations outside the main urban centres.

In response, the Minister of State for Works and Transport, Hon. Musa Siraj Ali, said work on the Minakulu–Zambia–Kamdini road had reached about 70 per cent completion before stalling due to delays in the release of funds for fuel in October. He confirmed that the funds had since been released and expressed confidence that the work would be completed as planned.

On the Aduku–Teboke–Loro road, the minister said grading had progressed, with the remaining three kilometres to Konan–Loro expected to be completed by the end of the week. Spot gravelling would begin thereafter.

The concerns highlight the need for a consistent fuel supply to ensure the timely completion of road projects that are vital to connectivity and economic activity in Oyam District.