Akol Construction workers at Anyeke Primary school cry out over 11 days of unpaid wages

4 November 2026, 6:01 pm

By Denis Owiny

Oyam – Uganda

Workers engaged by Akol Construction Holdings Limited at Anyeke Primary School construction site in Oyam District aised concerns over delayed payment of their wages, claiming they have worked for 11 days without receiving their earnings.

The company, reportedly contracted by the Ministry of Water and Environment under the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) project, is undertaking the construction of sanitation facilities at Anyeke Primary School, Acet Primary School and Acaba Secondary School.

The workers’ frustration reportedly escalated on Tuesday when a group confronted one of the site officials responsible for coordinating their payments, identified as Benard Olobo, demanding immediate settlement of their outstanding wages.

One of the affected workers, who declined to disclose his identity but said he hails from Dokolo District, told Shine FM that they have endured difficult working and living conditions since travelling to the construction site.

He cited poor accommodation arrangements, revealing that some workers had spent nights in Lira City before travelling long distances to reach the construction site.

The worker added that the delayed payments have worsened their financial difficulties, particularly as they struggle to meet family responsibilities and repay loans obtained through Village Savings and Loan Associations.

Meanwhile, Benard Olobo, a site official, confirmed that there had been a delay in processing the workers’ payments, which reportedly triggered Tuesday’s confrontation.

Olobo said he reported the incident to Oyam Central Police Station, prompting a police patrol team to visit his residence to calm the agitated workers.

He attributed the payment delay to the time taken for the company’s bank cheque to mature, coupled with interruptions caused by the weekend.

Olobo, however, assured the affected workers that the project’s manager had withdrawn the money in Lira City and that payment would commence tomorrow.

In a separate telephone interview with Shine FM, project manager Jimmy Okello said he was not aware of the reported complaints at the construction site but promised to visit the location to establish the circumstances surrounding the workers’ concerns.

The affected workers are now waiting for the company to fulfil its commitment and clear their outstanding wages.Shine FM will continue following up on the matter to establish whether the promised payments have been made.

Following the developments and failures of the responsible person to settle the matter the worked matched to the office of the Resident District commissioner seeking for guidance on the matter