Fort portal: Relocation of Timber Sellers Halted Over Finance
By Musa Polite
13th Sept 2022
Fort Portal city council has halted the relocation of timber dealers from the central business district to Harubaho ward in Central Division, over limited finances to facilitate the exercise.
In April this year, Fort Portal city council had sought creating trader order in the city through zoning of businesses in a bid to release an organized urban setup.
Top on the agenda, the city authorities wanted the timber business community currently operating in Kisenyi and Kahungabunyonyi-Kagote road Fort Portal City, to be the first to be relocated to Harubaho trading Centre in central division, who would later be followed by wielding and fabrication among other businesses.
Moses Otimong, the Fort Portal City Town clerk told our reporter in an interview that though the city had proposed to shift all timber related business to Harubaho ward by the end of the financial year, the exercise could not continue as planned after the city failed to raise UGX 50 million to prepare the space which would be occupied by the timber dealers.
Otimong says for fear of inconveniencing the upgrading of Kahunga bunyonyi- Kagote road which is under the USMID project, the city authorities had to convince the timber business community of further extends their business to allow free movement of heavy machinery conducting grading on the same road.
Otimong says currently the place lacks sanitary facilities, phase three power supply, clean and safe water and landscaping as well as drains.
Edison Asaba Ruyonga the Fort Portal city Mayor, says the city is currently facing financial challenges which can’t render continuity of the exercise, however Asaba is determined that the exercise will commence immediately funds are secured.
Mugunu Kisenyi, which is popularly known for timber business in Fort portal city, is characterized by congested makeshifts with no proper access routes incase of emergencies, whereas the area is prone to frequent fires that often gut the area destroying properties with the latest case on 23rd march this year when properties worth millions perished in the fire that broke out due to poor installation in a carpentry workshop.
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