Local government ask for more funds

The districts say they met sector ministries last year to increase funding but nothing has been done.

Local governments in the western region have petitioned the government to increase their budgetary allocations for effective service delivery.

The districts under their umbrella body, Uganda Local Governments Association (ULGA), noted that they were receiving reduced funding.

“Local governments get only 18 per cent out of the national budget. This is inadequate. It should be scaled up,” Mr Peter Odok W’Ocheng, the association’s president, also the Agago District chairperson, said during a meeting in Hoima Town on Tuesday.

Mr W’Ocheng said although ULGA met with the sector ministries last June to negotiate the possibility of increasing funding, there has been no improvement.

The Kabarole LC5 chairperson, Mr Richard Rwabuhinga, wondered why there are delays in release of the funds.
“January is ending and we have not yet received funds for this quarter. This will affect the pace of implementation of programmes,” Mr Rwabuhinga said.

The Hoima LC5 chairperson, Mr George Bagonza, however, said inflation had affected their budget.

“We should adopt a business approach while administering local governments. We should invest in income generating projects to supplement the funding” Mr Bagonza said.

“The district forest office has never generated a single tree seedling for sale yet the seedlings are on high demand by commercial tree farmers,” he said.

When contacted, the Local Government minister, Mr Adolf Mwesige, said the central government was also facing financial constraints but added that the ministry was planning to increase funding at the district level.

fmugerwa@ug.nationmedia.com