GULU, October 17, 2023 – The Uganda Broadcasting Corporation [ UBC ] has come up with an initiative to participate in the monitoring of the Parish Development Model [PDM] in Acholi Sub-region.
The country’s public broadcaster will monitor the implementation of the programme through its radio, and television channels as well as social media platforms in a campaign dubbed “Get Involved”.
Dr. Constantine Bitwayiki, Senior Technical Advisor at UBC and in charge PDM while speaking at the launch of the monitoring campaign at Mega FM in Gulu City last week said the public will report any concerns about the implementation of the programme via SMS or toll-free telephone numbers.
“We have a citizen feedback mechanism where people will use SMS or call in toll-free telephone numbers and say what they want to say and the information will be followed up by the responsible agencies,” Bitwayiki, said.
He urged people to report the PDM issues in their local language [Acholi] if they can’t do it in English, saying translation services are available.
Stephen Odong Latek, the Amuru Resident District Commissioner told the PDM beneficiaries to take advantage of the programme to get out of poverty since the money comes direct to them.
Latek said, “Do not waste your chance to get out of poverty. If this programme works well, nothing will stop the government from creating cooperative banks from these SACCOs formed under PDM.”
Responding to a complaint from local leaders that commercial sex workers were being excluded from the programme, Dr. Bitwayiki, said they should be registered since they are eligible.
Catherine Lanyero the Gulu City Commercial Officer said the feedback mechanism by UBC will ease the monitoring of the PDM.
“After disbursing these funds, we were wondering how we were going to monitor and keep to up to date with every project and activity that community members are doing but through this monitoring programme, we will be getting alerts from the media on how the project is operating. It will help us TO quickly take action where there is need,” she said.
PDM was launched in June 2022 with sole purpose moving 3.5 million households still in the subsistence economy to the money economy through commercial production, mainly focusing on the agricultural value chain.
Gulu City was allocated Shs 3.4 billion under PDM out of which Shs 2.8bln has already been disbursed to the beneficiaries to engage in production.
The funds have been disbursed to 26 out of 33 registered PDM SACCOs.
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