Timber dealers and carpenters in Lira city are up in arms over plans by the city council to evict them from the city center and relocate them to the timber yard in Railway, Lira city east division.
In a meeting held at Bazaar East cell, they demanded an alternative place to be relocated to, apart from the timber yard. They threatened to shift their workshops to either the mayor’s garden or the airfield in Railway ward if the council went ahead with its plans to forcefully evict them.
The chairperson of Lira United Carpenters Association, Patrick Opio, accused the city leadership of offering land that was meant for them to politicians, businessmen, and civil servants, leaving them without space to operate from. This move has left the carpenters and timber dealers with very limited options as they struggle to find a new location to continue with their businesses.
Benjamin Okii, who owns a wood workshop along Bala Road, advised members of the association to collect money and buy their own land.
He also urged them to consider dragging Lira city council to court to stop their eviction. The proposed eviction comes after Lira city town clerk Tibihika Theophilus gave the carpenters and timber dealers until April 1st, 2023, to vacate the city center.
The timber dealers and carpenters’ reaction to the planned eviction is not surprising, given the impact it will have on their livelihoods.
Relocating their businesses to the timber yard will require them to spend more on transportation costs, and they may also face stiff competition from other traders operating in that area. It’s understandable why they would want the city council to provide them with an alternative location where they can continue with their businesses without any disruptions.
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