Authorities in Gulu District Local Government and Gulu City Council have expressed concerns over inadequate office space, which is affecting staff productivity and service delivery. The issue arises six years after Gulu Municipality was elevated to city status on July 1, 2020. This change required the district local government to relocate its headquarters from the city to Awach Town Council, about 30 kilometres away. However, the district has yet to fully relocate its staff to Awach due to inadequate office space.
Most district employees continue to operate from their former offices in the city, with only the Resident District Commissioner’s office fully relocated to Awach. Some health workers are stationed at Awach Health Centre IV. Gulu District Chairperson, Justine Simpleman Obol, stated that the district has 1,146 staff, most of whom work from offices within Gulu City. A newly constructed administrative facility in Awach, which is yet to be commissioned, has only 22 office blocks and cannot accommodate the entire district workforce.
Obol called for government intervention to address the shortage, citing that the continued lack of adequate office space hampers the district’s ability to effectively deliver services within its jurisdiction. The concerns were raised during an engagement organised by the Ministry of Public Service in Gulu City with local government officials from the Acholi Sub-region. The meeting highlighted the longstanding dispute over government property between Gulu District and Gulu City.
Gulu City Town Clerk, Innocent Ahimbisibwe, also raised concerns about inadequate workspace, stating that the city council recently recruited 85 staff, bringing its workforce to 1,383, about 69 per cent of the approved staffing level. Ahimbisibwe said many employees lack dedicated workspaces, forcing some to work in shifts. He requested government attention to address the issue, citing challenges in supervision due to scattered workspaces.
Gulu City and Gulu District have for years disagreed over the occupation and ownership of properties that belonged to the district before the municipality was elevated to city status. Contested properties include the Gulu District administration block, Gulu District Council Hall, Pece Stadium, and the former SOS Children’s Village. The government previously committed one billion shillings towards constructing administrative facilities for 11 newly created cities.
Gulu City had proposed an eight-billion-shilling administration block on 104 acres of land donated by the community in Awach Town Council. Joan Nantwenda, the Commissioner for Human Resources at the Ministry of Local Government, stated that districts and cities are responsible for planning and budgeting for their administrative infrastructure. Nantwenda said the Ministry of Local Government can only lobby for funding for local governments that have incorporated infrastructure needs into their budgets.
Nantwenda emphasised that local governments must prioritise infrastructure needs in their budgets, and the Ministry of Local Government can only support by pushing the agenda. The issue remains a challenge for Gulu District and City, with a need for government intervention to address the office space shortages and resolve the dispute over government property.
Key points
- Gulu District Local Government faces office space shortages, affecting staff productivity and service delivery.
- The district has 1,146 staff, with most continuing to work from offices within Gulu City.
- The Ministry of Local Government emphasises the need for districts and cities to plan and budget for their administrative infrastructure.
