Yumbe's Logobe Village Citizens Demand Action on Education, Markets, and Forest Access in Civic Engagement Meeting

In a powerful civic engagement meeting (CEM) held in Logobe Village, Machabo Parish, Kei Sub County, Yumbe District, citizens voiced their frustrations and called for urgent action on long-standing issues affecting their community. 

The gathering, facilitated by ACODE/WENDA, focused on raising awareness about citizens' roles and responsibilities, the importance of engaging with local leaders, and amplifying their voices on crucial matters such as service delivery and climate justice.

One of the most pressing concerns raised during the meeting was the severe lack of primary education facilities in the parish. 

Residents revealed that despite persistent requests to the government over the past 17 years, the community still does not have a single primary school under government management. 

The only option available is a community primary school, which the villagers have repeatedly asked the government to take over.

“The children here have to walk long distances to attend school, and many drop out due to the challenges they face. We are asking the government to prioritize our education needs and take over the community school,” said one concerned local farmer.

Farmers in Logobe Village also highlighted the challenges they face in accessing markets for their produce. With poor road infrastructure hindering their ability to transport goods, the community is unable to sell their produce in neighboring towns such as Yumbe, Koboko, and Arua City.

“We grow plenty of crops, but we cannot take them to the markets. The roads are in a terrible condition, and this is affecting our livelihoods. We are asking the Sub County and District local governments to build a market here in Kei Sub County, so we can sell our produce locally,” one farmer stated.

In addition to education and market access, the issue of forest access was another major topic of discussion. Local residents criticized the National Forestry Authority (NFA) for what they described as double standards. 

While the NFA prohibits them from accessing the forest to gather firewood and charcoal for domestic use, the community members claim to see trucks entering the forest to ferry bags of charcoal, a practice they say continues unchecked.

“They stop us from collecting firewood or charcoal, but we see trucks hauling charcoal from the forest every day. This is not fair, and we demand that the NFA addresses this inconsistency,” said a resident of Logobe Village.

The community's concerns reflect the urgent need for action from local government authorities, especially regarding education, infrastructure, and equitable access to natural resources. 

As the Civic Engagement Meeting concluded, citizens expressed hope that their voices would be heard and that their leaders would take immediate steps to address these pressing issues.

The ACODE/WENDA team, along with local leaders, vowed to continue working closely with the community to ensure that their concerns are presented to the relevant authorities and that constructive dialogue leads to tangible change. 

The next steps include engaging local governments in Yumbe District to find practical solutions to the challenges outlined during the meeting. 

For now, Logobe Village's residents remain hopeful that their demands for better education, accessible markets, and fair treatment by the NFA will be prioritized by those in power.

BY: Aldo ADOMATI - dailywestnile.info