Local governments to be punished for failing to utilise funds
The Vice President, Jessica Alupo has called for punitive measures against district local governments that fail to fully utilise funds allocated by the government saying they cripple vital government programmes meant for local communities.
Alupo made the remarks during the opening of the annual government performance review workshop in Kampala attended by local government officers, permanent secretaries, members of cabinet and district local government representatives.
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Alupo said that although returning funds is more acceptable than embezzling them, public officers must get guidance from the Ministry of Local Government in time instead of waiting for the entire financial year to end.
She said all citizens need to continuously raise important issues of development for follow up saying "we must always monitor and regulate government performance."
The Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja speaking during the same event, urged various officials in the district local government to take seriously the annual performance indicators that the government has put in place since they are the benchmarks to implementing the NRM manifesto and delivering the country into a middle-income status.
She revealed that government entities at all levels performed at a miserable 36%, with technocrats blaming the performance on the effects of Covid-19.
"Our performance dropped to 36% as compared to last year, where we performed at 50%. Reason being, Covid-19 budget cuts affected us," she said.
This financial year, Nabbanja said that they have put measures and they have put zero tolerance to corruption so that leakages that were happening no longer take place.
"I note there is a lot of wastage in the implementation of the government projects and programmes. Some contractors are paid huge sums of money for no or substandard work done, accounting officers should desist from paying before verification," she said.
She re-echoed President Museveni’s directive on cohesion, a corruption free Uganda, patriotism, regional integration and quality service delivery.
" I don't want to be remembered or judged for what I say, but rather for what I practically do, fighting corruption, fighting for the interests of local person and inspiring those with doubts in their abilities to achieve big things in life especially children from humble beginnings," she said.
