Amolatar district gets shs400m to complete modern council hall

Amolatar district has received a budget allocation of shs 400 million to support the completion of a modern 600-seater council hall, part of the two-storey district administration block.

The cost of the 6^th phase of the project will enable completion of the council hall to a usable state, excluding furniture.

The shs5.8 billion project, being undertaken by Bygon Enterprises Limited, had stalled in the fifth phase.

Once completed, the modern administration block will accommodate key district departments, including administration, finance and planning; statutory bodies, and the district council hall.

The cost of the 6^th phase of the project will enable completion of the council hall to a usable state, excluding furniture.

According to the project status report presented by the district engineer, Edward Orec during monitoring initiated in 2017, the project has faced challenges due to limited funding from the central government.

Eng. Orec explained that inadequate budget allocations over the years have contributed to delays in the completion of the project, leading to an increase in the project cost from the initial shs4 billion in 2017 to the current estimate of shs5.8 billion.

He attributed the increase in costs to prevailing market conditions, inflationary pressures, and the rising cost of construction materials.

Orec noted that in this financial year 2026/027, the district has prioritised the completion of the council hall to help decongest the offices of the education department, which are currently accommodating the district council, finance department, and statutory bodies.

He said the arrangement has constrained the effective functioning and service delivery of the education department, making the completion of the council hall a priority for the district.

However, Orec observed that with the current trend of funding, it could take up to 10 years to complete the entire district administration block.

To expedite the completion of the project within the next three financial years, the district has requested enhanced funding support of at least shs1.5 billion per financial year.

The additional funding, if secured, is expected to accelerate the completion of the modern administration block and provide adequate office space for key district departments and institutions.