OPM donates 30 tonnes of relief items to Oyam flood victims

Oyam, (UG):- The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) has donated relief food items to people affected by floods in Oyam District. The items included 20 tonnes of maize flour and 10 tonnes of beans.

The beneficiaries are from the sub-counties of Abok, Otwal, Iceme, and Ngai, which were affected by floods last year.

While launching the distribution of items on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, at the District Council Hall, the Minister of Gender, Labour, and Social Development, who also serves as the Oyam South MP, urged the District Disaster Committee to always take quick intervention when disasters occur.

“When a disaster occurs, try to go to the field yourself and analyze if something requires intervention, immediately send a report because sometimes members of Parliament will raise it on the floor, then the technical team in the Prime Minister’s office have to start working backwards to request the district to send the report of the disaster committee, which delays intervention,” Amongi said.

Benson Dila, the district LC5 chairman, hailed the government for the intervention and noted that the relief should reach the intended beneficiaries.

“Using the district disaster management committee shared by the CAO together with a representative of the R.D.C, Ensure that the most vulnerable households are not left out. Equally importantly, the food must not be kept in the district store for more than five days from the date of delivery to avoid environmental damage but also to ensure that it reaches the beneficiaries as planned,” Dila said.

Geoffrey Ogwal, the Oyam District Community Development Officer, said over 792 families from four sub-counties would benefit from the relief items, with each family receiving 25.2 kg of maize and 12.6 kg of beans.

Philips Ogile, the Abok Sub-county LC3 chairperson, praised the government for donating food items and assured that they would ensure proper distribution of the items to reach the intended beneficiaries.

“This relief is for only affected 4 villages and it must reach them. Whoever will temper shall be dealt with accordingly without compromise,” Ogile assured.

The OPM’s disaster response initiative aims to provide timely and effective relief to communities affected by natural disasters.

The recent floods caused significant damage, displacing many families and disrupting daily life. The donated maize flour and beans will help address immediate food security concerns and support families as they work to recover from the disaster.