Otuke | Excitement went high in Ogor village, Ogor sub-county in Otuke district on Wednesday June 25 as residents heard the engine of a grader switched on to officially start working on a 16.9km community access road (CAR) under the National Oilseeds Project (NOSP).
Otuke is one of the 81 districts selected to benefit from the seven-year USD129.56m project whose objectives are to accelerate commercialization of oilseeds value chains to improve livelihoods, resilience of the smallholder farmers engaged in oilseeds production and marketing.
Under component two which focuses on support to market linkage infrastructures like roads, and small bridges, Otuke farmers in Ogor village will soon be able to safely connect to the neighboring Atat village and specifically to Ameri and Anik markets in Ogor and Okwang sub-counties.
The national launch, earlier planned to be officiated by the Vice President of Uganda Jessica Alupo, was delegated to Susan Abeja, the Otuke district woman Member of Parliament.
Sendaula Yasin, the NOSP National Coordinator in the Ministry of Local Government, said under component two, the project is going to construct 2,500 kilometers of community access roads (CARs) across 81 districts. “In other words, we are upgrading the community access roads into Class Three (CIII roads) which we call district roads.
“Today was a special day for us. For the last three years the project has been under implementation; we are launching nationally the construction of roads, the first batch of the 1,034 kilometers,” he said in a post-launch interview.
Asked why Otuke was chosen for the launch, Yasin answered: “Simply because Otuke (actually) is the poorest district in Uganda and this project’s main objective is to tackle poverty. So, we are going to the heart of Uganda where poverty is the biggest challenge.”
Take a listen to the full interview:
Francis Abola, Otuke district LC5 chairperson revealed why he brought people including the government officials from Kampala to Omwonyle “the bush.” “When you are begging for a bed, nobody will buy it for you, but take him where you are sleeping on obaya (mat). Tell him or her this is where I am sleeping. Of course, obviously, I will say ‘no I am going to help you’.
“So, I wanted them to see using their naked eyes the types of roads we have in the district,” he said, adding, “We have suffered so many things, so many insurgencies: cattle rustling, Kony came here with a lot of atrocities; up to now we are still healing from the wound. So, when I bring you to this type of environment [therefore], I am requesting that you help me.
Speaking about oilseeds “we are producing” like shea-nuts, sim-sim, groundnuts, soya and sunflower, Abola said Otuke district is still “very poor.”
He publicly accused middlemen branding them the “worst people” who buy cheaply from farmers and sell the produce outside at a higher price.
“Look at that! I’m requesting the oilseeds project to solve that matter which has persisted for so long. For over 20 years now we are still crying for the prices of seeds; it has persisted and I don’t know when it will come to an end.”
According to LC5 chairperson Abola, middlemen were also present at the lunch. “They are all over here. They can buy things from us at shs800, they go and sell in Lira at a price more than shs2,500. You have spent three months or four producing a kilo of sunflower but the person spends two hours to get from sunflower shs2,500. How much benefit is that?”
Because of the above behavior by the middlemen, Abola said it’s why “Otuke is not moving.”
Meanwhile, the Deputy RDC of Otuke, Francis Okwameri, told the gathering that “Otuke is peaceful, secure, friendly and hardworking” and thanked the government for selecting the district to host the national launch.
“Otuke is one of the districts where team spirit is very high,” Okwameri added.
Anthony Namara, an official from the Ministry of Local Government represented both Permanent Secretary (PS) Ben Kumumanya and Minister Raphael Magezi. In his written speech read by Namara, the PS said: “Today, we mark a milestone as we launch this rehabilitation of community access roads under the Oilseeds Project here in Otuke. This initiative supports the government’s efforts to bring services closer to the people through the Parish Development Model.”
PS Kumumanya said the project supports two key Parish Development Model (PDM) pillars: production, storage and marketing, stating that what brought people to Otuke was on infrastructure and other economic services.
As Local Government Ministry, the PS stated that they are aligned to developing efforts to make real impacts for households’ incomes by improving livelihoods across the country.
On his part, Minister Magezi applauded those who made time to attend the launch of the CARs linking Ogor village to Atat village totaling 16.9 kilometers. “Like any organs of government, the mission of the Ministry of Local Government is to contribute to the wealth creation and employment among Ugandans by providing opportunities and a conducive environment for doing business.
“The Ministry of Local Government and the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries are jointly implementing the National Oilseeds Project in the 81 districts distributed in six hubs.”
Minister Magezi applauded funders IFAD and Opec Fund for making NOSP a reality. As of May 30, 2025, the minister said under “Lot 20”, 70% of roads were under physical progress.
After the completion of the road worth shs1.6b by GAT Construction Company Ltd, Magezi said it will be handed over to Otuke district local government for routine maintenance.
“Take note that the project will not offer any additional money for maintenance of this road after the handover. But the good news is that maintenance shall be planned under the Uganda National Road Fund maintenance program.”
MP Susan Abeja applauded “the brains behind National Oilseeds Project” saying without them “we wouldn’t be here celebrating this day.” “I also want to thank the Ministry of Local Government for allowing the national project to be launched here, branding it “as a great opportunity given to Otuke.”
In her speech delivered by MP Abeja, the Vice President said, “….This occasion in particular is important not only to me but to Ugandans especially in the 81 implementing districts because the National Oilseeds Program is part of walking the journey to socio economic transformation outlined in the NRM manifesto.
“As has always been emphasized by His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in his several guidelines, I am honoured to join all people gathered here to commission Omwonyle Primary school-Atat-Ogor village (4.9km) and Ameri-Abongowe-Anek market-Acungapenyi-Okore road (11.0km).
“I congratulate the Ministry of Local Government and Otuke district for this and many more upcoming projects. God has indeed been faithful to Uganda, the NRM government has indeed defined Ugandans priorities focusing on investments to sustainably empower the common person today and in the long term.
The Vice President, in the same speech said NOSP is a multi-sectoral project supporting oilseeds value chain development. “With all these investments in infrastructure, we are not just securing the future, we are now racing into the future; a future where more opportunity is for the youth, the entrepreneurs, for our farmers, for our goods can be enhanced; where the economy will thrive.”
Construction of CARs, Vice President Alupo said, is indeed part of bold initiatives, one of the many that the government undertook to contribute to the transformation of livelihoods through creation of sustainable opportunities in terms of jobs and business.
NOSP target groups
The project targets 120,000 smallholder households in the six hubs, subsistence smallholder farmers with women accounting for 60%, men and youth sharing 40% growing oilseeds.
Their voices
tndNews had time and interacted with some area residents, and asked what they think about the launch they saw! We start with Pamela Akello.
She is a resident of Otuke town council. “This road will link us (Lango to Acholi). We are happy, i am happy to see our woman MP Susan Abeja driving the grader to launch its rehabilitation.”
Awor Sophia is from Otudu parish, Ogor village. “I am excited because Wii-akojo (swamp) prevented our children from going to school and there has been no development for a long time.
“Today, I am seeing development in Ogor here.”
Sophia is a farmer of “anything,” she said. She grows simsim, sunflower and soyabean. “This road will help us in business and in other ways.”
CARs selections
According to the NOSP Secretariat document, CARs to be constructed, rehabilitated and maintained will be selected through a consultative and participatory process at the Local Government levels taking into account oilseeds production areas, condition of existing CAR, environment and social issues.
Two, the roads should meet the 10km threshold and below.
The Hubs
Lango districts of Lira, Apac, Dokolo, Oyam, Amolatar, Alebtong, Otuke; Kwania and Kole are under Lira hub, while Gulu hub has Gulu, Amuru, Kitgum, Pader, Lamwo; Nwoya, Omoro and Agago.
Meanwhile, tndNews understands that the 16.9km of CAR launched on Wednesday was awarded at a contract sum of shs1.6 billion.
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