Counterfeit Uganda Shillings in circulation in Omoro district.

By

Abalo Irene Otto

Uganda Shillings used for trade in the country

 Police in Omoro district are cautioning traders to be vigilant due to alleged infiltration of counterfeit money into the market that could affect trade in the entire Acholi sub region.

This comes after two men were arrested today from Awali Village in Odek Sub county, Omoro district as they tried to purchase goods with counterfeit money worth 13 million Uganda shillings. The two men were arrested and detained at Odek Police Post. Their files are being prepared and will appear before court tomorrow.

Bosco Ocen Olukuwode, the Omoro district OCCID declined to provide details of the two men in their custody because they are part of a bigger gang dealing in counterfeit money and the issue is still under investigation.

” We have the two men in our custody but were are still looking for the others still at large. We suspect that the money could already be in circulation and the public should come out with information so that the culprits are prosecuted in the courts of law. This could affect business in the whole region.”

 The police appreciated the people of Odek for reporting the suspects and urged them to report suspicious characters in their community because more counterfeits are believed to be coming from Lira to Odek and other parts of the region.

IRS insecticides being used to commit suicide in Omoro.

By

Abalo Irene Otto

Leaders in Omoro district have been asked to investigate how the Indoor Residual Spraying insecticides, (IRS) known to reduce malaria transmission, were used in Binya Parish, Odek Sub County in Omoro district that has so far led to the death of four people this year.

IRS Spraying is done on walls of houses to repel and kill mosquitoes that cause malaria

This comes after a man on Monday allegedly committed suicide using the insecticide leaving behind two widows and nine children.

Tito Okello, 39 years and a resident of Orapwoyo Village, Binya Parish in Odek Sub county Omoro district was buried yesterday at his ancestral home in Orapwoyo village. He was a peasant and had portrayed a reserved behavior before he committed suicide.

According to Matthew Olobo, the former chairman LC3 of Odek Sub County who attended the funeral, the deceased left a brief note asking people to take care of his three wives and nine children. He says that the misuse of the IRS insecticides has caused a lot of suffering for the people of Binya parish.

” He died while being taken to Lalogi health center. We think the leaders should call all the Village Heath Team and investigate the how people who were spraying did their work. We can not continue to loose people like this. We know that there is trauma still in our community that needs counselling but this needs urgent attention to help our people.” 

In Uganda, the Northern region has the highest suicide rates and the doctors believe that it is as a result of the different mental disorders while others do it out of desperation.

IRS was reintroduced in Uganda in 2006 after a long period of no IRS interventions since 1960. Initial IRS activities were conducted in epidemic prone districts in the south-western part of Uganda before shifting to the highly endemic regions of northern Uganda as stipulated in the WHO position statement on IRS. Initial pilot spray rounds in northern Uganda used dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT).

Related story

https://ugandaradionetwork.com/story/irs-re-introduced-to-curb-malaria-epidemic-in-northern-uganda-

Gulu Go Green Marathon to make the district green this April

By

Abalo Irene Otto

Gulu District Local Government together with Community Empowerment Education and Development, CEED an NGO working to conserve the environment have yesterday day launched the Gulu Go Green Marathon that is slated for the first of April 2017 covering a distance of 5 to 15 kilometers within the municipality. The marathon is to fund raise and create awareness on the need to plant more trees to conserve the environment. The theme for the 2017 Marathon is “Conserve now, Guarantee Tomorrow.”

Bernard Loum, head of programs CEED Uganda told a media press conference at Northern Uganda Media club that the district has taken up the marathon and made it an annual event because of its benefits to the environment and the people.

Martin Mapenduzi launching the marathon at Northern Uganda Media Club, Gulu as Bernard Loum, the Head of programs CEED looks on. 

CEED plans to plat over 30,000 tree seedlings with support from National Forest Authority and other partners and schools, along road sides among other institutions not only to conserve the environment but also to beautify the district.

“We realized last year that the efforts of the district chairman in fighting indiscriminate tree cutting needed joint efforts. So we decided to partner with other organizations and institutions to plant more trees.  People do not want to realize that the extreme weather conditions that we are now experiencing is as a result of negative human activities on the environment.”

Lt Hassan Kato, the UPDF 4^th division spokesperson pledged to work with the community in planting more trees and conserving the environment.

 “If look back to last year around march when we suffered the water crisis, As the UPDF, we are committed to partner in conserving the environment that is why when you go to all these army facilities, the barracks and brigades, they are always green.”

 CEED picked a component of tree planting last year because of the need within the district as part of the efforts to combat the negative efforts of climate change that is embedded in Sustainable development Goal 13 that emphasizes on concerted efforts to combat climate change.

The project planted 5,000 trees seedlings in 15 schools around primary schools within the district and the pupils were part of the team that took care of the trees.

Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, Gulu district Chairman officially endorsed the launch of preparatory activities towards the Gulu Go Green Marathon and urged members of the public to take part in conserving their environment so that the district ceases to witness extreme weather conditions again.

The chairman called for collective efforts to re-afforestate in areas where trees have been cut down.

“We cannot continue to eat the trees that our grandfathers planted and replace none. This is dangerous to us and some of these trees are old, they need to be cut and fresh ones planted to add value to the environment.” Mapenduzi adds, “As for me, I am going to plant trees for my children and myself to enjoy, I don’t know about you and your children.”

Meanwhile, Gulu district local government is planning to mobilize members of the public to embrace tree planting to conserve the environment and also green the district to combat the negative effects of climate change in the district.

The road reserves will be identified in consultation with the district engineer to be lined with trees and individuals in that land own the trees planted in their area.

Martin Ojara Mapenduzi adds that much as beautiful roads are being constructed within the district, they would look better with tree lining at both sides just like the British did in the municipality during their era in the town.

The seedlings will be provided to the district during the Go Green Marathon run on 1^st April.

 Moses Abonga, the Chairman LCIII of Laroo division told radio Rupiny that the division already has drawn plans to plant trees along the roads both old and new roads.

 “In Laroo division, we have already moved ahead and we are want to plant more trees along the roads, both new and old ones.”

 Howver, there has been general outcry in the community that trees planted by government official never grow because of poor timing of the planting season and inadequate care for the trees.

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