ACHOLI – Ker Kwaro Acholi (KKA), the Acholi Cultural Institution has appealed to the government to consider orienting local leaders if the Parish Development Model (PDM) is to succeed in the region.
In May this year, Parliament approved the implementation of the Parish Development Model, with activities rolling out in phases, including the recruitment of Parish Chiefs, setting up a Community Information System (CIS), training and establishing Parish Development Committees, as well as massive mobilization of the public both locally and nationally.
Rwot David Onen Acana II, the Acholi Paramount Chief says, with the failure of several government projects including; NAADs, NUSAF, among others, there’s need to psychologically prepare the local leaders who will be at the forefront of implementing the new project that will see the government investing Shs 100 million per parish for the next five years.
Speaking recently, President Museveni urged the National Resistance Movement MPs to approve a proposal to increase the funds from the current allocation of Shs 200 billion to Shs1. 9 trillion.
Acana says that cultural institutions must be included among those who are to receive orientation since most of them are key opinion leaders in the community.
Ambrose Olaa, the Ker Kwaro Acholi Prime Minister said that, already the cultural institution is engaged in a series of community projects and having members of the institutions along with local leaders oriented on the program will help in shaping the mindset of the communities towards embracing it.
According to Olaa, the people need to understand their role in the Parish Development Model so that they own the program.
Recently, the government Chief Whip, Ruth Nankabirwa said that local leaders such as Parish Chiefs will take the lead role in designing the community development agenda under the Parish Development Model (PDM).
Santa Okot, the MP for Aruu North constituency, Pader district says, with the increasing rate of corruption and misinformation regarding government programs, the Parish Development Model will also fail if the mindset of the targeted beneficiaries are not changed through mass sensitizations and community engagements.
“We have seen several programs either failing or struggling to succeed in the region, this has been mainly because there was no orientation from the initial stages of the projects. so, for this Parish Development Model to succeed, the government needs to orient the community members and leaders on their roles so that it is easier to monitor and account for the funds,” Okot explained.
Richard Todwong, the National Resistance Movement Party (NRM), Secretary General says, that the concerns of the cultural institutions and leaders will be discussed. He also rallied the local leaders especially those from the NRM party to disseminate information regarding the Parish Development Model.
The Parish Development Module has been adopted into the 3rd National Development Plan as a strategy for rural and socio -economic transformation. The parish will be the epicenter of multi-sectoral community development planning, implementation, supervision, monitoring and accountability.
The LC2 Chairperson and Parish Chief shall be responsible for political stewardship in the implementation of the parish model in their respective parishes with support from the sub-county and district technical planning committee.
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