Minister rebukes district leaders for rejecting wealth creation seedlings

KALUNGU.

State minister for Agriculture Vincent Ssempijja has criticised local government leaders for rejecting seedlings distributed under Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) programme, saying they are bent on failing government programmes.

Mr Ssempijja said all the items donated under OWC are dispatched to districts after making a thorough needs assessment survey in targeted areas.

“Did they (district leaders) make a research and come up with a conclusive report showing that residents in their districts don’t need those fruit seedlings?” Mr Ssempijja asked on Monday.

“Irrespective of their political affiliations, local leaders must know that they are agents of government in their communities and must help us in implementing such programmes rather than failing them,” he added.

The minister made the remarks while addressing farmers in Kalungu District. This comes barely a week after Bukomansimbi District leaders led by the district chairperson, Mr Muhammad Kateregga, rejected 30,000 orange seedlings government supplied to the district.

They demanded that government replaces the seedlings with seeds such as maize, beans and soya beans, which they said were more needed by residents.

‘Markets secured’
Mr Ssempijja also asked local leaders to always educate residents about the benefits of embracing government programmes and cautioned them against politicising the programmes.

He explained that his ministry introduced the growing of fruits which include oranges and mangoes after securing a ready market in Russia.

“The government made 12 priorities and fruits are among them,” he said, adding that residents should not be denied a chance to benefit from this programme because of leaders whom he said are “playing cheap politics”.

Recently, residents of Kole Town Council, Kole District also rejected fruit seedlings donated to them, complaining that they were supplied late when the rainy season is about to end.