GULU– Gulu District Local Government has approved a budget of Shs 32.9 billion for the 2022/2023 financial year, with the education sector taking a lion’s share of the total budget.
The budget passed on Monday was read before the Council by the Secretary of Finance and Economic Planning Balington Ongwech, who doubles as Pungatira Subcounty district councilor.
The female councilor representing Owor Subcounty to the district, Jennet Acan moved the motion for receipt of the budget for discussions.
The budget discussions majorly centered on the new strategies for revenue enhancement as the district struggles to widen its revenue base.
The different sources of funds projected for the next financial year among others include; local revenue projected at Shs 826mln, conditional grant at Shs 24.5bln and external funding at Shs 2.5bln.
The district has prioritised education, which was allocated Shs 14.6 bln, health Shs 6bln, production and marketing Shs 1.9bln, agro industrialization Shs 1.8 bln and council businesses at Shs 625mln.
The other sector allocation includes; engineering department at 1.54 billion, water Shs 1bln community-based services Shs 499mln, local economic development and planning at Shs 129mln among others.
Finance secretary Ongwech noted that the key sector priority being education is aligned with the National Development Plan III for human capital development.
The District Chairman, Christopher Opiyo Ateker, asked the council to reenergise the revenue enhancement team both at the district and the Subcounty levels to generate revenue.
He has called for close monitoring of the revenue collections at the lower governments, which he said, have not been accountable for the funds collected at their different administrative units.
The district speaker commended the council for good deliberations and urged the councilors to play their oversight role in monitoring all government programmess to improve service delivery in the communities.
The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development [MFPED] has presented Shs 48.1trn national budget for the financial year 2022/23.
Parliament has meanwhile reallocated Shs 1.6trn in the next budget, with Shs 20bln earmarked for compensation of war losses to cooperatives in various regions of the country. Cooperatives are expected to play a big role in the Parish Development Model [PDM].
An extra Shs 30bln has been allocated to cater for cattle restocking in Teso, Acholi and Lango regions. In the current 2021/21 financial year, the government provided Shs 150bln for cattle restocking in the three regions.
The next national budget is expected to be read on June 14, 2022, according to Finance Minister Matia Kasaija.
https://thecooperator.news/omoro-district-council-approves-2022-23-budget/
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