Dear West Niler Let me own it up that I did openly wonder about the electricity/power question for West Nile hence putting my views in this forum a few days ago. I want to appreciate the issues Eng. Afi has brought out here for me and you to understand this question (at least the technical side of it) and I further appreciate his acceptance to waive off "apoliticality" to articulate the electricity concerns in this debate. However (no intention to critique Eng. Afi's piece), but only to express my view further on the subject, while the case may be so as explained by Eng. Afi there is the feeling I habour emanating from my personal observations of the recent developments in the pover sector. It looks apparent that some of the developments emanate from very recent "presidential citations" - I deliberately do not want to call them presidential directives. The trend seems to be that the citations and other manipulations take the day than the strategic plans, which have remained on paper as tools to cool our tempo for a speedy access to sustainable electricity - that after all "we have you in our plan", refer to documents a, b, c, etc, etc and then... nothing. How far is the future for West Nile insofar as power is concerned? Why couldn't West Nile be priority over places like Lamwo, Kitgum, Pader, Patongo, Kalongo, Abim, Nakapiripirit? Is there any fear that given the clear boundary between the rest of Uganda and West Nile the latter will start developing "corrupt minds" (like the early philosophers and schientists concemned) as such developments in our region has to be done with a lot of caution? I think [Eng. Dr. (Hon. in offing) - with respect to earned titles and their inspiration to us] Aridru understands the issues very well and came close to it to say that through partnerships, collaborations, strategic alliances, lobbying, trade-offs, seeking regional and public interest ransoms...mention them, we can achieve a lot. Read some of his excerpts and manifesto). It will all depend on how our politicians get into the play field, use tactics to appropriately exploit the opportunities that come. It's just like the game of football - training to become a player that matters, ensuring that you join a prominent club, ensuring that you are an invaluable player in a team, having good game strategy translated into tactics that must weaken your opponent's positions in the field - and you score. At this point in time I would like to remind all of us like in the game of football the players' final tact is displayed in response to needs in the field and circumstances. They rarely disclose their tact but dwell on strategies for the benefit of their fans and the public who will enjoy the actual tacts as they watch the game, at which point the fans will cheer. For the strategies tactics to succeed we therefore need politicians who are not poor in ideas but those who qualify to be seen by the biggest political eye in the country; those who can influence and redirect the government plans; those who know how the government systems operate from local governments up to cabinet levels! In short we need politicians of ministerial material who can "exchange the goods and services" in the entities they control with what their peers control. There has to be some critical mass of the above mentioned calibre of politicians, working in unity for West Nile and then for Uganda, not vice versa. This would be one of the ways in which we could realise faster development in our region. Lessons can be learnt from the Acholi Sub-Region. How Eng. Hon Hilary Onek, et al, have involuntarily become icons and a respectable people's representative not only in their respective constituencies but the Acholi Sub-Region. How did they handle the electricity factor. The issue for us in West Nile regarding electricity is therefore to arm ourselves with the technical information (thanks to Eng. Afi and others who will volunteer more information) and shorten the long future in order to obtain sustainable electricity. Regards to you my fellow West Niler Aggrey
--- On Tue, 19/10/10, George Afi Obitre-Gama <[email protected]> wrote: From: George Afi Obitre-Gama <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [WestNileNet] GOOD HUSTLE - ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE TO CHRISTINE'S To: "A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile" <[email protected]> Date: Tuesday, 19 October, 2010, 19:27 Ladies and Gentlemen, While I do not want to be drawn into politics though I am a politcal animal by nature and by insistence of Counsel A and Father R, I shall offer my humble input and/or opinion to some of the issues that have been a subject of continuing debate and/or discussions on this noble forum. Delay of Nyagak HPP While is is public knowledge that Nyagak HPP has delayed its commissioning, it is not enough to say that the delay is attributable to a single entity i.e the GoU. Nyagak HPP is a PPP(Private Public Partnership) between the GoU and WENRECo as the developement partner. The delay in commissioning lay squarely on the developer who did not do a thorough due diligence on the proposed contractor's technical and financial capability coupled by time loss of money!! But again, even if Nyagak was commissioned in time, the transmission adequacy of the system would not allow us to fully enjoy the hydropower. Even if tommorow, an investor erects and commissions a 50MW plant, we can only take about 2MW due to lack of adequacy of the line system. The current transmission adequacy of the West Nile system 'as is' is about 2MW and urgently requires an upgrade in order to evacuate only 3.5MW!! Connection to National Grid While I have been informed that there is a strategic plan to connect the West Nile region to the National Grid from Amuru(Olwiyo is proposed sub-station), this connection, as already stated, shall take sometime to be realised. Currently, Gulu, Lira and say the greater northern Line is supplied from Tororo. This line Tororo- Northern-Opuyo-Lira is only about 14.5 MW - is it enough? What about upgrading the transmission capacity in case of future off-takes? I don't know! First of all, this 14.5MW is not even enough for the region(Lira, Gulu, Kitgum, Pader,etc!!). What West Nile region needs to wait for is the Construction of Karuma HPP, Ayago HPP and the like. Someone asked for the costs of transmission lines - 33KV - about $ 30,000 - $45,000 per km, 132KV - about $700,000 - $1,000,000 per km!!! Big? Isn't it? These costs are without the corresponding sub-stations and distribution networks!! Brethren, all in all, we require collective effort and lobbying in realization of the connection to the National Grid. What we have to fight for in the meantime and tactically in the interim is the commissioning of Nyagak HPP, upgrading of the existing network, expanding the upgraded network to cover the whole of West Nile to pre-determined load centres, Construction of Nyagak II and Nyagak III as a cascade hydro system from Nyagak I. In my humble opinion, this is the fastest way we have in realization of electrification of the region from darkness which quite frankly requires a lot of political input from representatives of the people by the people - Mark my words:- Reps of the people by the people! The above is my take. Regards to all From: Ezama Ruffino <[email protected]> To: A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile <[email protected]> Sent: Tue, October 19, 2010 5:28:40 PM Subject: Re: [WestNileNet] GOOD HUSTLE - ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE TO CHRISTINE'S Christine Your question is clear. I seem to have read from Eng Ajedra the question as to why our elected MPs from WN could not connect WN to the national grid than construct Nyagak Dam whose work they are "hurrying slowly". What made them fail? What is your "engineer-able objective" which will make you succeed this time round. If Eng Afi is reading we are awaiting his input too as Counsel Alaka asked God bless ruffino -----Inline Attachment Follows----- _______________________________________________ WestNileNet mailing list [email protected] http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ All Archives can be found at http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. _______________________________________________
_______________________________________________ WestNileNet mailing list [email protected] http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ All Archives can be found at http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. _______________________________________________
