National development plans not in line with govt priorities – NPA chief
NPA chairperson Kisamba Mugerwa (L) talks to Ministry of Works and Transport official Dr John Mbadhwe at the launch of the formulation of the second national planning development plan 2015/16 to 2019/20 in Kampala yesterday. PHOTO BY STEPHEN WANDERA
What you need to know:
Outcome. Benefits of plan include improved employment levels and higher per capita income among others.
Kampala.
The Chairperson Uganda National Planning Authority (NPA), Mr Kisamba Mugerwa, has identified lack of proper coordination between the government ministries, departments and agencies as being responsible for the poor enforcement of the national development plan.
According to Mr Mugerwa, so much should have been achieved since the launch of the comprehensive National Development Plan in 2007, had the entire government departments owned up the development document and implemented it in collaboration with each other.
“One of the key findings of the mid-term review of the National Development Plan (NDP) was the lack of alignment of the sector development plan,” Mr Mugerwa said yesterday at a strategic meeting on formulation of the 2nd NDP that should be up and running by September, 2014.
He continued: “Our role (NPA) is only coordinating the process while the ministries, departments and agencies and other non-state actors are to prepare and ultimately implement the plan.”
According to the national planners, the reward of proper alignment will boost the country’s chances of economic development and ultimately the modernisation that the President refers to.
“Time is not on our side,” Mr Mugerwa said, adding, “ we must all be on board to avoid a situation where some ministers in Cabinet say; we are not part of this—NDP, because we have not been consulted.”
NPA director for development planning, Patrick Birungi, said slow implementation of national planning document is another problem. He said: “Some ministries and departments never had plans while others formulated them after NDP came into force. This makes it hard to harmonise planning.”
Benefits
The contribution of the NDP to the socio-economic transformation will be demonstrated by improved employment levels, higher per capita income and improved labour force distribution. Substantially improved human development, gender equality indicators and the country’s competitiveness position are among other indicators. These improvements will reflect the structural and socio-economic transformation that is the basis of the NDP.
About the national development plan
The National Development Plan (NDPI) covers the fiscal period 2010/11 to 2014/15. In September, another five year plan codenamed NDPII will be operational. The NDP stipulates the country’s medium term strategic direction, development priorities and implementation strategies.
It also details the country’s current development status, challenges and opportunities.
In line with the National Vision Framework, six (6) five-year NDPs will be implemented of which the first (plan) has come to an end.
The focus is to accelerate socio-economic transformation to achieve the National Vision of a transformed Ugandan society from a peasant to a modern and prosperous country within 30 years.
