Kikuube hold budget conference with call to mobilize farmers to embrace PDM
KIKUUBE – The Kikuube district leaders have emphasized the need to mobilize and sensitize farmers to get prepared to benefit from Parish Development Model (PDM).
In this financial year, Kikuube district will receive over Shs 500 million and this first quarter, the district received Shs.113 million for PDM.
The Shs 113 million is meant to conduct sensitization of the stakeholders, help farmers to form groups and pay salaries of parish chiefs among others.
The program was initiated by President Museveni with the aim of transforming 39% of households from subsistence economy to commercial production. The model is in line with the National Development Plan (NDP III) whose goal is to increase household incomes and improve the quality of life of Ugandans.
Peter Banura, the Kikuube district Chairman, explained that PDM is a magic program which can help farmers to move out of poverty if they get prepared and understand its purpose.
Banura made the call during the budget conference for the financial year 2022-2023 held at the Resort Hotel in Hoima town. The theme for 2022/2023 Financial Year for Kikuube district, “Industrialization for inclusive growth empowerment and wealth creation.”
He explained that there is poor attitude towards government programs where the beneficiaries take funds dispensed to their groups to help them in fighting against poverty as a donation and as result, they ended up mismanaging the program.
He noted that there is a need for different stakeholders both political, civil society organizations and religious leaders, to sensitize the populace for a mindset change.
He expressed concern that communities have remained poor despite several government initiatives implemented for poverty alleviation.
He urged farmers to embrace the program by forming groups adding that the program will only benefit interested and organized groups.
Andrew Milton, the Kikuube district Chief Administrative Officer noted, implementation of the programs is expected to kick off next month adding that there is need to have structures to help in the functioning of the program.
He noted there is a need to have parish headquarters, parish chiefs, parish land and a strong parish development committee before the program kicks off.
However, Milton challenged the district stakeholders to interest themselves in the budget to ensure that they identify priorities for better improvement of service delivery in the coming Financial Year 2022/ 2023.
He noted that it’s during the budget conference that the stakeholders identify the priorities and challenges affecting service delivery in the district.
He explained that issues ranging from human resource, finances, governance and democracy, accountability and corruption need to be tackled because they affect service delivery when not addressed.
Milton expressed concern over delays by the lower local governments such as sub-counties and town councils, parishes and villages to hold their budget conference.
He said procedurally, lower local governments are supposed to hold budget conferences before the district since planning is a bottom-up approach adding that this helps the district to identify gaps that need urgent attention.
He noted that only Kabwoya sub-county out of the five sub-counties and two town councils held its budget conference.
Meanwhile, Faustine Baguma, the Kikuube district planner, expressed concern that the 2022/23 FY budget will be reduced by Shs1 billion from Shs 36.211 billion.
According to him, 2021/2022FY was Shs 36.211 billion while 2022/2023 will be Shs 35.21 billion. He attributed the budget cuts to reduction of external financing due to poor performance resulting from COVID-19 effects.
In the proposed budget of the FY 2022/23, local revenue will contribute Shs 1.132 billion, central government will contribute Shs 20.522 billion, other government transfers Shs 12.362 billion and external financing Shs1.200 billion.
According Baguma, administration will take the lion’s share with Shs 14.974 billion, education Shs10.49 billion, water Shs1.01 billion, health Shs 4.302 billion and production and marketing will take Shs 1.193 billion.
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