Tourism revenue sharing: Minister asks districts to account for funds received
The minister noted that a number of districts have not been accounting for the funds received in the previous years
NWOYA, August 14, 2024 – The Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Tom Butime has asked districts hosting Murchison Falls National Park to ensure that they account for the funds received as their 20 percent share of the total tourism revenue collected from the park.
The Minister made the call recently at Nwoya district headquarters as he handed over Shs 3.15 billion to the districts hosting the park such as Nwoya, Kiryandongo, Pakwach, Buliisa, Masindi, and Oyam. The money was collected in the financial year 2022/2023.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority [UWA] has so far raised Shs 22. 9bln, the biggest percentage of it, is supposed to be forwarded by the district local governments to the communities neighbouring the national park. The money helps communities to engage in income generating activities, thus stopping illegal activities like poaching.
The latest release of Shs 3.15bln had Buliisa district getting the highest amount of Shs 810 million, Kiryandongo Shs 746mln, Nwoya 715mln, Pakwach Shs 360mln, Masindi Shs 297mln, and Oyam Shs 220mln.
Addressing the local government officials after handing over the money, Butime noted that while Murchison Falls National Park has generated billions of shillings in the recent past, the impact is not felt in the communities.
The minister noted that a number of districts have not been accounting for the funds received in the previous years.
“You must ensure that this money goes to the communities to transform their lives as you know what they go through in the neighboring park,” Butime warned.
The Executive Director UWA, Sam Mwandha advised that 95 percent of the funds should go directly to community projects while the local government retains only 5 percent for monitoring.
He also urged districts to account for funds. “We are releasing the funds…but two districts haven’t accounted for projects executed in the 2021/2021 financial year,” Mwandha said without naming the two districts, although another UWA official said the Chief Administrative Officers of Oyam and Kiryandongo districts, respectively are yet to account for the money received.
In 2021/2022, Bilisha district received Shs 736mln followed by Kiryandongo with Shs 680mln, Nwoya with Shs 672mln, Pakwach Shs 347mln, Masindi Shs 283mln and Oyam Shs 208mln.
Although this reporter failed to get a response from Kiryandongo district Officials, the Oyam district LCV Chairperson, Benson Dilla acknowledged the challenges of accountability but added the issues have been resolved.
“We have the accounting officer in Myene Subcounty who was going for retirement and diverted the money but we have recovered that and prepared the accountability which we have submitted,” he said.
“Retirement comes with its own challenges and some people are tempted to steal from the public and go home with it but that has been resolved” Dilla revealed but declined details,” he said.
He however explained that the latest funds received from UWA will support people engaged in livestock farming, poultry, fishing and piggery.
“This money is demand driven and we are still waiting for the work plans from the lower local governments to approve which projects to support this year” Dilla explained in an interview with this reporter,” he said.
Nwoya district LCV Chairman, Emmanuel Orach noted that the latest money received would directly support 30 cooperative farmers in the sub counties of Lii. Goma, Purongo Sub County, Anaka, Got Apwoyo and Purongo town council.
He noted the funds will be invested in livestock farming, poultry farming, fish farming.
“We didn’t have good results from the precious funds, especially those who opted for tree growing because we can’t see the trees on ground but we need to learn from those,” he added.
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