There’s need for transparency in implementing govt projects

Since the 1990s, the government has had several poverty alleviation programmes such as entandikwa, Operation Wealth Creation, Nusaf and now, the Emyooga programme. 

All these projects had great objectives on paper but did not  fully achieve the initial set targets. 
The biggest hurdle in all these programmes has been poor implementation and greedy officials charged with ensuring they yield tangible results. From the first project, it’s clear the government has learnt nothing and forgotten nothing. 

A few years ago, I worked with a financial institution providing mobile banking services to communities in Amudat District in the remote Karamoja sub-region. 

Key among our duties was delivering Nusaf funds to the most remote areas of the district. In our line of duty, it was not long before the newly appointed chief administrative officer unearthed ghost Nusaf groups that were entirely benefiting some district leaders. 

One of them had just erected a massive bungalow and acquired a posh vehicle as fruits for his three years in civil service.  
At one village,  we were shocked to find only 100 trees planted from a Shs39 million tree planting fund. 

Whereas this wasn’t part of the mandate of the financial institution, we got ourselves witnessing how millions of government project funds end up in individual pockets.

So why has government failed to initiate a transparent framework for implementation of these good projects? What more  do the RDCs need to do to ensure that these projects achieve their set objectives?

The government needs to have an independent audit on  running of the  emyooga project and crack the whip on corrupt district leaders. 
The President in his first speech after the announcement of the 2021 election results talked tough on making this forthcoming term in office as a term of “No jokes”, we await action.

David Ariko, [email protected]