We merely rubber stamp government loan, says MP
Buvuma County MP, Mr Robert Ndugwa Migadde. Courtesy photo
What you need to know:
- During the presentation of the draft report by Prof Julius Kiiza of Makerere University and Ms Jacqueline Nassimbwa, an official from CEHURD, it was evident from the participant that various stake holders including the district health officials were not involved in discussions of how best to use this cash.
- Some participants said there is a tendency of some donors releasing cash to the intended beneficiaries who sometimes don’t have a good strategy of spending it.
KAMPALA. Members of Parliament who sit on the National Economy Committee, in most cases merely rubber stamp government loans, one of the committee members, Mr Robert Ndugwa Migadde has said.
The Buvuma County MP went on to explain that most of the government loans reach their committee when there is nothing to add apart from rubber stamping what the Cabinet has already decided.
“To be very honest with you, these government loans come to Parliament when they are already approved. We are not involved in the initial stages of negotiations and we merely approve them without any much input,” MP Migadde told a validation meeting of the Global Financing Facility (GFF) on Wednesday evening in Kampala.
The validation meeting was organized by a civil society organization, Center for Health Human Rights and Development (CEHURD).
The MP explained that the ideal practice would be that this committee is in the early stages of negotiations processes of these government loans instead of Cabinet approving the entire process and Parliament just endorses.
“Why can’t the Cabinet involve our committee in the negotiations process so that our input is considered at that stage instead of Cabinet approving everything,” Mr Migadde wondered.
The majority of the participants in the validation meeting seemed to agree with the shocking revelation of the MP.
Uganda received about 165m dollars about two years ago as part of the global financing facility from the World Bank.
The funds are mainly used to tackle maternal mortality, new born, and adolescent health.
During the presentation of the draft report by Prof Julius Kiiza of Makerere University and Ms Jacqueline Nassimbwa, an official from CEHURD, it was evident from the participant that various stake holders including the district health officials were not involved in discussions of how best to use this cash.
Some participants said there is a tendency of some donors releasing cash to the intended beneficiaries who sometimes don’t have a good strategy of spending it.
