Rains destroy 350 schools, put 3.5 million Ugandans at risk of famine
Kampala, Uganda (PANA) – Erratic rains or lack of the same have destroyed hundreds of schools and put millions of Ugandans at risk of famine, leaving them in need of food aid, the government has said.
A statement tabled in Parliament by Mr Hilary Onek, the minister for relief, disaster preparedness and refugees, shows that the government has earmarked over $17.4 million to repair the schools and provide relief aid to the people on the verge of starvation.
“Hon. Colleagues, it is sad to note that the storms that have been witnessed in about 90 districts across the country have destroyed 356 primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. Cabinet at its sitting on Monday 13th May approved Shs26 billion ($6.9 million) for emergency repairs and reconstruction of damaged schools,” Mr Onek said.
He added: “After presenting the food/hunger situation report to Cabinet on the 6th of May 2019, I am happy to inform Parliament that Cabinet immediately directed the release of Shs40 billion ($10.6 million) for procurement of emergency relief food to be delivered to communities at risk. These deliveries will begin this week.”
Mr Onek said that the “erratic rainfall” being experienced in the country, which is characterized with storm-winds and hailstones, followed a long dry spell, and that crops planted during the traditional planting season of March-April did not germinate.
As a result, the minister said, “The food shortage situation across the country got to crisis and emergency levels in the sub-regions of Karamoja, Teso, Bukedi, Busoga, Acholi, West Nile and a large section of the Cattle Corridor; this put over 3.5 million people in urgent need of relief food.”
Only last year, many of the people in the same areas needed food aid, which was attracted from as far as provisions by the Chinese government.
Although Uganda is classified as a food self-reliant country, there are usually shortages of supply in some areas that trigger crises, especially if there is no capacity to move food from areas of plenty to those where food is required.
Uganda’s agriculture is rain-fed for the most part, triggering food shortages whenever the rains fail or come late. This time round, the rains have come late and have been violent in a number of areas, leaving ruin in their wake.
-0- PANA EM/MA 15May2019
