GULU-Media practitioners in Northern Uganda have been urged to play the role of information, and sensitisation, if the Parish Development Model [PDM] is to succeed in the sub-region that has the potential to develop its agricultural value chain potential.
According to Ofwono Opondo, the executive director of Uganda Media Centre, the media needs to facilitate the linkage between the public and government by providing the right information on government programmes meant to benefit citizens.
Opondo said that whereas Uganda`s backbone is agriculture, most of the people who are engaged in the agricultural sector are illiterate while others are semi-illiterate, and therefore need guidance and sensitisation from the media.
Ofwono, also the Government Spokesperson, was engaging the media in Gulu on Monday on how they can play a role in the various pillars of the PDM such as: Agricultural Value Chain Development [production, storage, value addition, processing, and marketing]; Infrastructure and Economic Services; Financial Inclusion; Social Services [education and health]; Governance and administration among others.
Alex Okoya Odongo, the LCII Chairperson of Laboureline Ward in Gulu City, said that most of the community members, especially in the city are not aware of the seven pillars of PDM, adding that that the technocrats did not have enough time to sensitise the masses on the PDM.
John Ogwok, the former LCV Chairperson of Lamwo district, urged the technocrats running the PDM to work with the media to disseminate all the relevant information on the PDM for the benefit of the beneficiaries.
His advice came after journalists raised a concern about public officials not giving timely information on the PDM activities.
According to government, PDM is intended to move 3.5 million households in the subsistence economy into the money economy through commercial production in enterprises such as coffee, oil seeds, dairy, beans, and maize among others.
Journalists who attended the meeting also noted that there is largely an information gap as far as the implementation of the PDM in the Acholi Sub-region is concerned.
In his response, Opondo urged the media to play the role of educating and giving the right information to the masses on PDM, especially at a time when the programme is being reviewed.
Government plans to spend over Shs 1 trillion each financial year on the programme planned for five financial years, beginning with the current financial year, with each of the 10,594 parishes earmarked to receive Shs 100 million each year.
According to Opondo, if the media give the right information to the masses, they will be able to select the right enterprise, understand market value and demand, which in turn will transform their livelihoods as they move into the money economy.
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