UGANDA: GOVERNMENT GIVES SPECIAL FUNDS TO ACHOLI SUB REGION FOR PRAISH DEVELOPMENT MODLE-ACHOLI MP

Give us special funds, Antony Akol, Chairman for Acholi Parliamentary Groups APG ask President Museveni to show case and give special funds for economic empowerment to the Acholi Sub Region in area of fish farming, coffee production, irrigation and Parish Development Model (PDM

The Acholi Sub Region is the most poorer according to poverty Index 2021

/2022 report.

Uganda government should not have compared Northern is at 68 percent Uganda to western Uganda where the poverty index rates are at only 5 percent, compared to Acholi Sub Region with the poverty index rates is lower than 68 percent, follow by Karamoja sub region.

 Betty Aol Ocan, the former Leaders of Uganda Opposition in the 10^th Parliament reveal that President Museveni one-day will die with frustration because he has given 17 million into the hand of corrupt officials funds meant for Parish Development Model to the village, but surprisingly the so called PDM money has never been delivered to her village in Ariyaga, Bar Dege-Laroo Division in Gulu City.

Acholi Legislators line up heap blames on Parish Development Model

GULU CITY-THURSDAY, June, 22, 2023. Yet another doom government programs were launched under Parish Development Model in Mubuku District in Western Uganda UGX 1 trillion funding, three years down the road Ugandans has not achieve their dream to empower them economically each parish supposed to get UGX 100 million

The government of Uganda is targeting 39 percent of the poorest population of the rural setting to get the money that would push to reach middle class income by 2030, PDM funds is meant to benefit parishes to help them in agricultural productions, livestock farming, fish farming, and to introduce coffee production in Northern Uganda.

Wokorach Simon Peter, the MP for Aswa County, Gulu District, Northern Uganda among the disappointed person his disappointment is that on 25, January 2022, PDM was launched in Mubuku, but the program remains a white Elephant the Secretariat of PDM should do case by case analytical overview, if PDM is managed properly this will lead Ugandans to middle class income economy.

Although the objective of Model proposes building infrastructure and systems that support processing and marketing of Uganda’s agricultural products.  Which entail that Parish Development Model is a good program meant to eliminate poverty in our community, but it lacks focus Aswa County MP faulted the PDM program at onset.

Anthony Akol, the Chairman of Acholi Parliamentary Groups APG ask the government to give special funding to Acholi Sub Region in order to empower them to give the region equal footing in development with the rest of others regions in the country.

“When the government came up with the programs of PDM, they did not do enough research, you cannot give the same money to Acholi Sub Region and the same money you give the areas like Kololo urban area in Kampala, Rubaga, Mengo and Busenyi or Mbarara where their GDP stand at 5 percent compared to those communities are poorer.

“Government of Uganda has widened their areas of operation, you cannot give money to Acholi community which has a poverty rate index of 68 percent, is releasing UGX  17 million in areas of Northern Uganda, under PDM the but they are giving more UGX 100 million in the parishes in western Uganda.” Akol complained.

Betty Aol Ocan, the Women MP for Gulu City condemned PDM, the office of the President who handles PDM, saying the program lacks economic empowerment, because since such programs have been enrolled, there is no difference with failed Sever And Credit Cooperative SACO, Emyooga, ete. Citing the example that in her village Ariyaga, Laroo-Pece Division Gulu City, UGX which was supposed to get UGX 17 million was given, but poverty still rules the community.

Ricky Anywar, the MP for Agago West, Karamojong cattle rustlers have block the PDM is planning to implement to reach out their targeting community in East Acholi, citing the districts of Agago and Kitgum, where the cattle rustling have been killing innocent people that cause more insecurity, people are being killed every day in Agago and Kitgum districts.

Those areas are part of PDM, our community are concerned with method of insecurity rates being play with the Karamojong than the Parish Development Model.

The officials of the PDM are missing using abusing their work, when you go to the villages, you see and witness poverty takes tolls, with draught threatening because rain pattern have been changed due to heavy environmental degradation our people they take one meal in a day.  But when you go to Wanahisi areas where there is story building is, where vehicles and post cars are being driven, Red number plats from officials of PDM, when you come to implementation, there is nothing.

Lucy Akello. The Women MP for Amuru district, lamented about the issues of gender violence, she argued that when PDM money is given, men get the money from their women, the PDM, instead they demand from their wife to give them the money, sometime they used forces leaving them with nothing, and when it comes to community, families must have the same language.

“Because when the family is fighting, the money will go into treatment and the issues of environment” Akello insists.

Santa Okot. The MP for Arua North, decries that since the PDM was launched in 2022, Aruu North community have not received even single money, and yet the officials of PDM claims that the government have budgeted UGX 100 million, now one year down the road, where is UGX 100 million.

When SACCO was formed for each village, Aruu North villages never got the money. “Stop calling us for the PDM meeting, the money takes it to the village” Santa Okot warns.

She also decries, talk about lack of transparency, says our community and leaders change their mindset, when the leaders come out and talk on radio that there is corruption, even the community at the grassroots will understand that the PDM is meant for corrupt people, we should change our mindset, citing the incident from Nebbi District when funds from Parish Development Model was given, youths who received the money, all the youths who got the money drank them all night.

Christopher Komakech, the MP for Aruu South County says Acholi people they are serious mentors when you promise them to do good services, but if you do contrary, you fail to do it, they will take revenge.

So if the government promised to eradicate poverty, they must do so, otherwise the program of PDM will boomerang.

Komakech says the questions are on the implementation, on luncheon of UGX 1 trillion, the government gives UGX 1 trillion every year, where is the money?

The Aruu South MP, ask finally that Awere Sub County where the Disability takes 10 percent of the population have been recorded in society, for example citing that when you go to Awere Sub County 10 percent of people cannot qualify for the PDM fund. Because the 10 percent of community are the children who have been affected with Nodding Syndrome.

“I beg that those nodding syndrome affected mothers and their kids must fall within the category of beneficiary of PDM” Komakech warns.

Okello Douglas Peter Okao, the Chairman Local Government of Omoro District on the mindset too. Says, Parish Development Model stands on 10 pillars, but we are leaving mindset change, argues that at initiative state we have failed in the implementation of PDM create Wealth, Employment and increase Household Incomes.

• Production, Storage, Processing and Marketing;
• Infrastructure and Economic Services;
• Financial Inclusion;
• Social Services;
• Mindset change;
• Parish Based Management Information System (PDMIS). …
• Governance and Administration.

that includes:

Galabuzi Ssozi, the former Minister of State for Luwero Triangle, is the National Coordinator of the Parish Development Model, in the responses says

Omoro District Chairman adds on among them they are: production, storage, processing and marketing. Among other interventions, the government plans to roll out digital platforms for provision of farm inputs (e-vouchers), extension services (e-extension) and quality certification (e-certification), at the parish level.

Okello Douglas Okao suggested that his way forward we need inter-ministerial joint commission, there must money for tools, when the PDM funds come it should cover agricultural extension officer to carry out agricultural implementation. We need to address the gaps in the agriculture, for Omoro district they have not received UGX 17 million, 8 parishes have not received their fund, 8 SAACO in Omoro district have not received their funding.

Okot Amos, the MP for Agago North in the 11^th Parliament cast doubt in the finding of Uganda Bureau of Statistic poverty index which indicated that Acholi Sub Region poverty is at 68 percent. Ask Galabuzi Ssozi, the former Minister of State for Luwero Triangle, who is the National Coordinator of the Parish Development Model, that what are is he going to tell the Acholi Members of Parliament.

Adds on that Agago North County have so many villages, there are 50 villages, throwing question to the coordinator that how is he going to help his areas in uniformity?

Okot beg the office of PDM coordinator that to help them take care, they want to bring the vast majority into money business, for example there are many women that have enter into small enterprise business, but the Uganda Revenue Authority have levy heavy tax, how are we going to bring taxation, how are we going to take care of them.

Okot reasoned that before COVID-19 there was bumper harvest in Acholi Sub Region in Rice productivity.

“Unfortunately instead the government ignored to buy rice from Acholi Sub Region, instead they were importing rice from Tanzania into the country, is the PDM going to protect local farmers in Acholi Sub Region such farmer against marketing?

Argued that in production there is what we called production individual, “If agricultural extension is not going to be protected, what are you going to do? “Agago North MP asked. He wonders that in PDM there are too must supervision, ask if there is any successful report, but this is not taking place in PDM program.

Mike Lakony, the Chairman, Amuru Local Government although agreed with the Coordinator of PDM, reveals that his district have got 58 SACCO account in the Bank, they have UGX 58 million for 58 parishes, and UGX 30 million in one parish, but the money have not remitted money.

The other issues, “the office of PDM have ring fenced ICT, for the people who come from Kampala to move to Gulu City and surrounded district.”

Baker Ochola, the Senior ICT in Gulu City also raise the same query that the office of PDM have failed to carried out data collection, because they have brought ICT from Kampala, this make it difficult when the numerators went to filed during data collection, because there was no gargets and funds meant for data collection was so little, UGX 12,000 compare to par day for other data collection from other organization which they give UGX 100,000.

“For example. During data collection, you get about 17 people in the same home, which you need to get their National Identity cards number and their telephone numbers, but because you don’t have enough time and so, you phone may run out power” Ochola argued.

Galabuzi Ssozi, the Coordinator of PDM, in his conclusion, says UBOS report is not true, because when they say Acholi Sub Region, Index poverty rates is at 68 percent, they did not consider those people who have 1,000 hectors, do they considered them being the poorer.

“We don’t group the people in this region as the most poorer, because they are among middle income people.” Galabuzi remarked.