FORT PORTAL – Fort Portal city authorities are targeting Shs 60 billion as part of a bigger loan which the Ugandan government is set to secure from the French Development Agency [FDA] to help in urbanisation processes and climate change mitigation.
According to the officials, the loan to be procured by government is aimed at fostering economic growth of four prioritised secondary cities of Fort Portal, Arua, Mbarara and Soroti, in regards to climate change mitigation and promoting local economic growth.
Fort Portal city clerk, Moses Otimong said the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development has already contracted a French consultancy firm [Group Huit and Espelia ] to do feasibility studies of the projects to be funded to improve economic development and address climate change in the next financial year.
“Fort Portal will receive at least Shs 60 billion of the FDA loan. This will handle specific areas of interest which include environmental conservation and laying strategies for the local economic development of the cities through infrastructure development,” Otimong said.
Otimong said Fort Portal city has prioritised the conservation of River Mpanga, establishment and improvement of markets across the city and rehabilitation of roads to ease access to the city centre, which will also promote economic growth through trade.
The Fort Portal city mayor, Edison Ruyonga Asaba said the funds would enable the city authorities to improve the status of infrastructure, especially roads and improve trade by improving markets to realise an organised urban set-up.
The Fort Portal city North division mayor, Joseph Mashuhuko said that the division has already earmarked roads and markets that will be crucial in fostering economic growth in the division and that they are looking forward to receiving the funds.
The mayors said they have already launched a campaign to mobilise and sensitise communities to prepare to benefit from the opportunities that come along with development.
Mayors are optimistic that with the tax incentives already in place, the city revenue collection will be boosted if the funds are correctly put to use.
Background
The government of Uganda intends to develop a secondary cities programme in 2022 with the assistance of FDA through a participatory approach with the cities themselves.
The aim of the programme is to support cities with the urbanisation and climate change challenges they are facing and foster local economic development.
The FDA has mobilised a consortium of consulting firms made of Group Huit and Espelia [French consulting firms] and URTC [Ugandan consulting firm] to support the elaboration of urban diagnosis, and the identification of the priority investment projects and conduct feasibility studies.
https://thecooperator.news/fort-portal-city-authorities-embark-on-conserving-environment/
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