Lamwo | The Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Lamwo, William Komakech, has issued a one-week ultimatum to the district land board and physical planning department to expedite the issuance of lease offers to all prospective developers within the district.
Despite being in existence for nearly two decades, Lamwo district continues to face a critical shortage of accommodation facilities at its headquarters. As a result, many district staff are forced to commute daily from neighboring Kitgum due to the lack of housing within the district center.
Speaking to tndNews, Komakech emphasized the urgent need for development and called upon investors from across the Acholi sub-region to seize the opportunity and acquire land in Lamwo for infrastructure projects.
The RDC noted that while land is available, bureaucratic delays in processing lease offers have discouraged potential developers. He warned the responsible offices that failure to act within the one-week deadline would attract accountability measures from his office.
Komakech urged the land board and physical planning department to prioritize the issuance of leases, adding that streamlined access to land would catalyze much-needed investment in the region.
The RDC specifically called out the inaction of the board and the physical planning department, accusing them of frustrating development efforts by failing to provide timely lease documents to investors interested in acquiring land.
“We have land in Lamwo that is ready for development, but unfortunately, no one has come forward to invest in it partly because of the delays in lease processing,” Komakech said. “This inefficiency must stop. I am giving the responsible offices one week to act, or they will be held accountable.”
Komakech revealed that after the allocation of the land the developers will also be given an ultimatum of one year to develop the land or the land be given to another developer.
Komakech also urged the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to work closely with the relevant departments to ensure that bottlenecks in land allocation and development planning are addressed immediately.
He emphasized the need for coordinated efforts to attract private investment and improve living conditions for government staff and residents.
Meanwhile, the chairperson of the district land board, Richard Okuna acknowledged the challenges but promised that steps were being taken to streamline operations and respond to the RDC’s directive.
“We recognize the urgency and are reviewing pending applications to ensure they are processed within the given timeframe,” the chairperson said.
Okuna stated that the district land board, in coordination with the physical planning department, is currently processing lease offers for prospective developers.
He noted that once the land is allocated, each developer will be granted a three-year period to develop their plot in accordance with the terms of the lease agreement.
“There are currently 225 lease offers available for allocation,” Okuna said.
He further explained that under Section 37 (2) of the Land Act, a developer is required to develop the leased land within three years. If no substantial development takes place within that period, the lease may be revoked, and the land reallocated to another interested party.
“This provision is meant to prevent land hoarding and ensure that land is used productively to support the district’s development,” he added.
The CAO, Thomson Obong, also pledged to facilitate better collaboration between departments, stating that the district leadership is committed to supporting infrastructure development and encouraging private sector involvement.
Local residents welcomed the RDC’s directive, saying development has been long overdue. “We see land lying idle while our children go without jobs and our officials have nowhere to stay,” said John Okello, a resident of Palabek. “If investors come in, it will bring opportunities for everyone.”
As Lamwo looks to attract investment and improve its infrastructure, the next steps by district officials in responding to the RDC’s ultimatum will be closely watched by both residents and potential developers.
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