Jubilation on Monday filled the locals of Akia Ward in the East Division, Lira City after Minister of Health Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng commissioned to-use, a protected spring water she rehabilitated using her personal financial resources for the community of the area as part of her 2021-2026 manifesto implementation.
Through her Manifesto Implementation to improve safe and clean water and healthy water accessibility Dr. Aceng funded the restoration of spring water source for the community which is expected to benefit over 800 households both in Te-obwolo ‘A’ and ‘B’ cells.
Receiving the water officially from Minister Dr. Aceng, the locals expressed the heartfelt appreciation to her for providing them with clean water, something that many leaders didn’t consider.
Fredrick Opito, the area LCI of Te-Obwolo B, said by rehabilitating for them water, Minister Aceng greatly saved them from sharing water with the animals which has happened for the last 10 years.
Opito articulated that for a long time, the locals through his office have been forwarding requests to many leaders but they all paid deaf ears, but Dr. Aceng didn’t ignore them.
“By having this clean water source in the area, we are not only happy but healthy, rich and pleased to receive our heartfelt gratitude and love,” Opito noted.
The Assistant Resident City Commissioner of Lira, Bonny Otucu, said there is a team of dubious individuals who are roaming around the city, unscrewing the boreholes that are in good mechanical condition and later screwing it back and labeling them with their names to confusing the community that they are the ones who repaired.
Leone Okello, a resident of the area, said the water source constructed by Aceng is a great relief and will reduce the burden of accessing clean water and it will benefit not only the community of Te-Obwolo B but other five wards/villages like Te-Obwolo A, Bar-Acaci and Agali among others.
Okello outlined other challenges the community in the area are still facing due to the weak representation at both parliament and the council including, poor road networks, making it hard for them to access the social amenities like health facilities, schools and lack of electricity power which is hindering economic development in the area.
Grace Odongo, another resident, said before Dr. Aceng constructed for them the piped water in the area, they would trek kilometers away to access the clean water. She thanked the Minister for the unwavering dedication to save the electorates from the water bond diseases and ensuring the health of the people.
In her address, Health Minister and Woman MP of Lira City said she was touched by the video clip that was shared with her, exposing how the locals were fetching from an unsafe water source, a factor that drove her to rehabilitate the clean water for the people.
Due to high demand for water in the nearby villages, Minister Ceng Atedero pledged to consider the requests and drill a borehole in Te-obwolo A cell, promising to provide more services to better the lives of the community in the area.
The residents who shared their stories with this publication blamed the area MP Akena for neglecting the area and only concentrating on his presidential bid tour, leaving the community grappling with a multitude of problems.
The locals promised to massively support President Museveni and Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng Ocero in the 2026 elections. They caution Minister Betty Amongi to stop salivating for Aceng’s position advising her to run back to Oyam South Constituency and show proof of what she has to for her electorates and stop interfering with Dr. Aceng’s dedicated and selfless services for the people.
On her arrival at the water source, the electorates welcome Dr. Aceng with strong words of prayer, appealing to God to touch her with his grace so she can live longer to serve in parliament for many more years for her great sympathy and commitment to fulfilling pledges.
