West Nile leaders want a share on refugee money

Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) from the West Nile districts of Yumbe and Koboko on Friday voiced their concerns over the need for government and development partners to earmark a share of money meant for South Sudan refugees welfare, to the districts hosting these refugees.

They made the remarks during a dissemination workshop of the refugee financing study report in Uganda, organized by Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG) in Kampala.

“District development plans do not include refugee welfare, yet they pose environment degradation challenges, through cutting of trees for firewood and shelter construction. Refugee donors do not share with us their development plans, which is why there is need to integrate district and donors development plans into one document to address social- economic challenges for all communities in Yumbe district”, said Yumbe district Assistant CAO, Rasul Drajiga.

Koboko district CAO Canon George Adoko said the refugee hosting communities are the ones who donated land to the refugees and therefore, there is need for the local population to share resources with refugees.

“Koboko district Administration has extended a hand of brotherliness to the refugees; through employing them as teachers and nurses in the district schools and health centres, whereby Refuges co- exist with the local population cordially”, he said.

The chief executive officer for Arua district NGO Network, Feni Twaib called upon the Office of the Prime Minister to consider involving Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), based in Refugees hosting districts to monitor distribution of aid and finances to the refugee communities.

“Refugees are based in districts and not at the Office of the Prime Minister. It’s us who know the plight of refugees than anyone else because we are based on the ground”, he said.