CNOOC restores hope on continued Final Investment Decision (FID) demands

HOIMA – The China National Offshore Oil Corporation [CNOOC] Uganda Ltd has restored hope to the government and Ugandans interested in tapping from the oil and gas sector after Company officials declared that the Final Investment Decision [FID] will be ready next year.

FID is the point in the capital project planning process when the decision to make major financial commitments is taken by International Oil Companies. At the FID point, major equipment orders are placed and contracts are signed by Engineering, Procurement, and Construction [EPC] companies.

The project execution phase commences shortly after the FID with significant expenditure on building the production facilities.

There has been negotiation between government and oil companies such as TotalEnergies with Joint Venture Partners,China National Offshore Oil Corporation [CNOOC] to sign the FID but up to now, nothing has been done.

Recently, the State Minister for Energy and Mineral Development, Peter Aimat Lokeris criticized oil companies operating in the Albertine graben for the delayed signing of the FID, adding that the government was ready to sign the FID and blamed the oil companies for the delays.

He explained that there is a fear that in the next 20 years the prices of oil might go down which may make the government lose money that is investing in the industry.

However, speaking during the annual CNOOC Uganda media engagement at Kingfisher Development Area in Buhuka parish Kikuube District, the Head of Corporate Affairs, Zakaliya Lubega said that the company is determined to deliver the FID by 2022.

The FID is not an event but rather a process that has been ongoing across the board for all partners, where you want to acquire the land, have Environment and Social Impact Assessment [ESIA] study undertaken and approved, go through procurement processes for the big contracts, all these take a lot of time and resources.

He said they have been waiting for the government to put in place enabling laws to ensure that there is proper legislation under which the companies would operate.

We were going through that process to ensure that when we make an announcement of FID, nothing is going to stop us. And now that everything seems to be ready, we are one leg into FID and the other leg is closely following.”

The pronouncement comes three weeks after parliament passed the East African Crude Oil Pipeline Special Provisions Bill 2021, and the amendments of both the Income Tax Act and the Public Finance Management Act [PFMA].

Lubega told reporters that some contracts in KingFisher Development Area [KFDA] like in well pad development have already been awarded while others are pending approval after being given Conditional Letters of Awards.

He added that the contract of well pad development has already been awarded and the contractor will be mobilizing the site soon.

Once announced, the FID will unlock a $15b investment by CNOOC and Total in the next 3 to 5 years.

“Technically, we are into development. When we make the announcement early next year, in the next 36 to 40 months, we shall have oil out but our main target is 2025,” Lubega revealed.

He noted that oil is still in the ground and expressed concern over some people speculating that oil is being stolen, adding that these are propagandists who want to mislead the public.

CNOOC is taking the Kingfisher oil field in Buhuka parish Kyangwali sub-county in Kikuube district onshore of Lake Albert.

Kingfisher field development area is spread over approximately 344km2 in the Lake Albert Rift Basin in western Uganda.

The oil field is situated on the eastern bank of Lake Albert, which acts as a border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It was discovered by the Kingfisher-1 wildcat well in 2006.

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Government failing to implement the Tobacco Control Act

GULU – After seven years, the Government of Uganda is still far from fully implementing the Tobacco Control Act.

The implementation of the Tobacco Control Act still hangs in balance, as local governments struggle to enforce sections of the law.

In 2015, Uganda enacted a law to control the demand, consumption, and supply of tobacco to the population.

The law aimed at protecting the environment from the effects of producing tobacco and exposure to tobacco smoke hence reducing related deaths.

Article [12] section [1and 2] of the law prohibits smoking in public places, or in any public transport and other outdoor places.

The offenders of a crime of such nature are liable to pay a fine of 20 currency points or a jail sentence of not less than 6 months by a competent court.

However, seven years later, production and exposure to tobacco smoke continuously unabetted in public hence a threat to humans and nature.

The Program Officer, Control Substance Use, and the Mental Health division of the Ministry of Health, Patience Butesi said, the government spends much more money on treating tobacco-related illness than the revenue collected from tobacco.

The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning reports that from every 0.03 dollars of revenue collected from tobacco, the government spends 3 dollars in treating tobacco-related illnesses that include respiratory and cancer diseases.

The Ministry of Health revealed that at least 1,780 cancer patients seek treatment at Mulago Cancer Institute annually while 12,184 patients turn to the National Heart Institute which cost the government Shs13.2 billion expenditure on treatment.

The annual tobacco-related deaths rate stands at 6 million people globally according to a World Health Organization 2020 report; 600,000 of whom are non-smokers who were exposed to chemical compounds.

In her argument, Butesi noted that a cigarette contains more than 700 cancerous causing chemical compounds and other poisonous gases affecting the lungs and internal organs while its global related death rate stands at 10 percent.

At the Uganda Cancer Institute, the statistics show that, for every 1000 Ugandans who turn to the facility, more than 350 of them battle the different types of cancer diseases with the survival rate only standing at 20 percent.

At Gulu Cancer Registry in St. Mary’s Hospital Lacor, more than 1,350 cancer patients in the four districts of Gulu, Amuru, Nwoya, and Omoro sought treatment in the facility between 2016 and 2020 but the majority could not afford expensive treatment.

Gulu district deputy Chief Administrative Officer [CAO] Sonyi Mugoya however noted that, much as the government is establishing regional cancer institutes, there is a need for the country to restrict the production and importation of tobacco.

“What we consume here are products being imported and that is where the challenge is for government,” Mugoya said.

William Onyai, the Gulu District Health Educator noted that prohibition of tobacco products in the region will likely come with adverse implications to the traditional tobacco farmers who derive their livelihoods from such production.

Onyai, urges the Ministry of Agriculture to engage the farmers as the country battles to reduce tobacco-related illnesses and deaths. He further advises farmers to take advantage of the parish development model.

Article 11 of the Tobacco Control Act provides for a free smoke environment, little is done on the enforcement and the products are still being sold in open places mainly along the streets in Gulu City and hangout places.

Moses Talibita, the Legal Officer, Uganda National Health Consumer Organization which is partnering with the Ministry of Health against tobacco production and consumption says, Gulu risks becoming a city with the highest number of smokers.

He explained that the implementation of the section of the law was slowed down when private companies promoting the product in the country took the government to court but they lost the case in 2018 in the constitutional court.

He however noted that government is in a nationwide campaign for enforcing the law adding that the local governments are currently undergoing training for implementation of the law which was flagged off from Gulu.

“We are targeting Gulu to save it from becoming a City with the highest number of smokers especially at the time we don’t have adequate health facilities to handle tobacco-related illness,” Talibita told theCooperator in an interview.

According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics, the West Nile region still has the highest prevalence of smokers at 33.7 percent while most of the farmers only earn 33 percent of what they have invested in the farm due to its labor-intensive nature.

Meanwhile, in June 2007, Uganda ratified World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control two years after the United Nations embraced and adopted the convention.

The convention was developed in response to the tobacco epidemic as an evidence-based treaty that reaffirms the right of all people to the highest standard of health.

Whereas the Convention represents a milestone for the promotion of public health and provides new legal dimensions for international health cooperation, Uganda is still far from the implementation of its domesticated law.

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Nabbanja promises 8 tractors, Shs 55million to Abafumambogo SACCO

MASINDI – The Prime Minister, Robinah Nabbanja has pledged eight tractors to the Abafumambogo clan members in an effort to uplift their economic status.

Nabbanja made the pledge while speaking as Chief Guest at the Annual General Meeting [AGM] for the members of Abafumambogo clan SACCO in Bunyoro region held in Kyamujwaara cell, Nyangahya division, Masindi district.

She said each of the eight districts in Bunyoro will get a tractor that will belong to the clan members in the district.

The districts include: Kakumiro, Kibaale,Kagadi, Kikuube, Hoima, Buliisa, Kiryandongo and Masindi.

Nabbanja also pledged Shs 55million towards the Abafumambogo clan SACCO to enable members to access loans to boost their businesses.

Nabbanja who is also a member of Abafumambogo clan said, it should benefit all the members of the SACCO.

She hailed the leadership of the clan SACCO in the region led by Godfrey Musindi for uniting the clan members and even starting up a SACCO.

She further said it is in line with the NRM government’s agenda of fighting poverty in the country.

Nabbanja was responding to an earlier request made by Godfrey Musindi, the clan SACCO Chairman for assistance with clan members.

Musindi told theCooperator that he will travel to Kampala this week to inspect the tractors and to ascertain when the SACCO money is expected to be wired on the account.

The Abafumambogo clan SACCO comprises more than 300 active members in the different districts of Bunyoro.

He noted that they’re going to use the tractors to boost farming amongst the members.

“Our vision is to start doing farming on a large scale as members. We are planning many things such that we can grow and become a model SACCO,” he explained.

Nabbanja earlier made a stopover at a function organized by Masindi Municipality Mayor, Ronald Kyomuhendo Businge where mass was led by Father Birungi Akiiki from Nyamigisa catholic church.

Councilors’ SACCO given Shs 10 million

Nabbanja also gave Shs 10 million to Masindi Councillors’ SACCO to boost them by getting small loans.

The leadership of Masindi Municipality used the same opportunity and asked the Prime Minister to help them acquire road maintenance equipment to improve the road network in Bunyoro.

“We are struggling to maintain the roads because the equipment we have is in a pathetic situation and it keeps breaking down,” said Kyomuhendo the Mayor Masindi Municipality.

Joab Businge, the Member of Parliament for Masindi Municipality asked the Prime Minister to help Masindi Municipality areas get connected to the national grid.

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Crack down on more than 1000 tons of Opium in Soroti district

SOROTI – Soroti district Resident District Commissioner [RDC], Stephen Okumu, has cracked down on more than 1000 tons of opium.

The operation follows a community outcry by Oculoi sub county residents, Soroti district over the increasing number of children taking to opium.

According to Okumu, they mounted a search for the opium growers in Oculoi sub county after being tipped by the community.

The perpetrators whose livelihood has been solely dependent on opium had it grown on acres for years without a license from the government.

Okumu says, after securing a court order, they destroyed the opium and are in search for the perpetrators who are still at large.

“The search for the perpetrators are still ongoing and once arrested they will be an example to those engaging in this criminality.”

Okumu further adviced parents to watchout and safeguard their children from consumption of the drug, as it is dangerous to their health and many end up insane.

The perpetrators deceive unsuspecting residents that they are licensed by government and yet they are producing it illegally, says the RDC.

Meanwhile, Margret Aanyu, the Soroti district Chief Magistrate says, this act is not acceptable and those found should be dealt with according to the law.

She revealed that some samples have been kept at the police station to serve as exhibits when perpetrators are arrested.

“I gave a court order for their arrest but they managed to escape this will not end here. Wherever they are, they should know that they are answerable for their actions, “Aanyu said.

She encouraged those who have ears to heed the advice because they will be held culpable for these criminal actions.

“The punishment is very harsh so don’t even think of trying it,”Aanyu says.

Sarah Atiang, one of the victims whose son started smoking opium condemned the act as satanic.

Atiang told theCooperator that she only realized her son was smoking opium after he attempted to beat her up.

“My son dropped out of school and has been asking for money from me and I would give him hope that he would reform. But on this particular day, I failed to give him and he almost beat me up,” said Atiang.

James Otim, a farmer and father of five says, youths have found refuge in drugs instead of being productive and helping their parents.

He urges the government to come up with strict measures that can address this illegal business.

Otim adds that there are many businesses someone can venture into and wonders why this kind of business is against the law?

“Why would someone mentally upright venture in this kind of business, aware that its dangerous, Otim asked.

Opium is believed to be a highly addictive narcotic drug acquired in the dried latex form, the opium poppy.

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Crack down on more than 10 tons of marijuana in Soroti district

SOROTI – Soroti district Resident District Commissioner [RDC], Stephen Okumu, has cracked down on more than 10 tons of marijuana.

The operation follows a community outcry by Oculoi sub-county residents, Soroti district over the increasing number of children taking to marijuana.

According to Okumu, they mounted a search for the marijuana growers in Oculoi sub-county after being tipped by the community.

The perpetrators whose livelihood has been solely dependent on opium had it grown on acres for years without a license from the government.

Okumu says, after securing a court order, they destroyed the marijuana and are in search of the perpetrators who are still at large.

“The search for the perpetrators is still ongoing and once arrested they will be an example to those engaging in this criminality.”

Okumu further advised parents to watch out and safeguard their children from the consumption of the drug, as it is dangerous to their health and many end up insane.

The perpetrators deceive unsuspecting residents that they are licensed by the government and yet they are producing it illegally, says the RDC.

Meanwhile, Margret Aanyu, the Soroti district Chief Magistrate says, this act is not acceptable and those found should be dealt with according to the law.

She revealed that some samples have been kept at the police station to serve as exhibits when perpetrators are arrested.

“I gave a court order for their arrest but they managed to escape this will not end here. Wherever they are, they should know that they are answerable for their actions, “Aanyu said.

She encouraged those who have ears to heed the advice because they will be held culpable for these criminal actions.

“The punishment is very harsh so don’t even think of trying it,” Aanyu says.

Sarah Atiang, one of the victims whose son started smoking marijuana condemned the act as satanic.

Atiang told theCooperator that she only realized her son was smoking marijuana after he attempted to beat her up.

“My son dropped out of school and has been asking for money from me and I would give him hope that he would reform. But on this particular day, I failed to give him and he almost beat me up,” said Atiang.

James Otim, a farmer and father of five says, youths have found refuge in drugs instead of being productive and helping their parents.

He urges the government to come up with strict measures that can address this illegal business.

Otim adds that there are many businesses someone can venture into and wonders why this kind of business is against the law?

“Why would someone mentally upright venture in this kind of business, aware that its dangerous, Otim asked.

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Government to start acaricide zoning to address issues of tick-borne resistance

KIRUHURA – The government of Uganda is pushing for acaricide zoning to fight the tick-borne resistance that has greatly affected animal industry especially in the cattle corridor.

Through Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), the government will fast track a special drug to kill all the resistant ticks before embarking on acaricide zoning to solve the problem of tick resistance in the country.

According to Dr Anna Rose Ademun, the Commissioner Animal Health in the Ministry of Animal Husbandry, government is looking forward to creating zones in all the four regions of Uganda to guide farmers on which acaricides to administer to their animals.

Ademun said this over the weekend while presiding over the farmer’s parliament held in Sanga Town Council Kiruhura district.

Farmers’ parliament is a regional forum which was recently launched by farmers in November 2021 to discuss and seek redress about the issues affecting farmers in Western Region.

During the meeting, most farmers were furious with National Drug Authority (NDA) claiming that it has not provided a solution to their animals that have continued to die because of tick resistance against alleged fake acaricides.

“NDA has totally failed to block fake acaricides on market, a reason as to why some of us have resorted to the use of agrichemicals. I will not continue seeing my animals die when I have not provided any solution,” Steven Kakuru, a farmer in Kiruhura bitterly said.

The commissioner blamed tick resistance on existing organisms which is part of the evolution aspect.

“Use of a single acaricide for so many years has led to exposure of the ticks to all the acaricide molecules. Ticks by nature develop resistance towards the drugs because they have an internal system within their genes which fights back. So, these type of rotation is now going to fight tick resistance,” Dr Ademun said.

She however, comforted farmers that the government has already approved funds of importing eprinomectin, a special acaricide to kill Rhipicephalus (Boophilus), which is the most devastating tick species that has resisted most acaricides in Uganda.

“In 2019, we tested all the acaricides we had on the market to find out whether the drugs are able to kill the drug resistant ticks. We also found that there is boophilus (fat tick), the most resistant tick in the population of ticks that are in our community which is really a glaring problem,” Ademun said.

“And we have also found that there is a drug which is not registered in our country called eprinomectin and we have already requested Cabinet to provide funding to be able to cleanse off the resistant tick,” she added.

“Since the government has already approved funds to procure that drug in bulk, we will start by using eprinomectin as an acaricide to kill off the resistant ticks. Then after, we shall roll out a cleansing exercise to eradicate resistant ticks,” Ademun emphasized.

She says, the Ministry is only waiting for the government to release funds to embark on the acaricide zoning exercise that exposes the ticks to one molecule.

Dr Ademun appealed to the farmers to welcome the zoning program when it rolls out massively in the country.

“Unless we work as a team and work at the zone level, whereby government should guide which acaricides to use, we are really going to fall into a mess. So, we have asked the farmers to welcome the idea of acaricide zoning because our nation is greatly surviving on agriculture,” said the Commissioner.

Dr Ademun also advised NDA officials and farmers to stop the blame game attitude but rather focus on addressing the tick related challenges on farms.

“This is a value chain of acaricides which covers the manufacturer up to the user at the farm. Therefore, the challenges in acaricides originates either from the manufacturer, importation distribution or at user level meaning that if the acaricide is not working; either it was not manufactured well, imported well, tested well or the farmer is also not doing his work at the farm,” she said.

However, Safari Magyezi, a livestock farmer who also doubles as the Mayor Sanga Town Council, insisted that farmers have followed the acaricide prescriptions but ticks have failed to die.

“Do you want to tell us that all the livestock farmers have failed to follow the drug prescriptions while mixing the acaricides? How come in the 1980s we had an acaricide called gamatox which we would use to spray the cattle and spend 15 days without seeing any tick?” Magyezi asked

Florence Bahikire, another Dairy farmer hailing from Kiruhura district encouraged the government to autonomously handle the business of acaricides to protect farmers from alleged fake products.

“How I wish that the government would take over the autonomy of managing and selling drugs to the farmers from one stock point rather than having so many private drug outlets selling different products including counterfeit acaricides,” Bahikire emphasized.

Abiaz Rwamwiri, the Public Relations Manager of National Drug Authority, appealed to the government to consider having a national drug store for proper vet drug distribution chains.

“The government needs to consider having a national drug store equivalent to National Medical Stores that brings in veterinary drugs and distributes through a proper supply chain upto local units like sub-counties where a farmer can be able to pay for the animal drugs at a subsidized price,” Rwamwiri explained.

He also asked farmers to stop using agrichemicals on their animals which contaminates the milk and meat products thus affecting the export market.

“Most cows have gone blind and research has also shown that such agrichemicals directly mix with milk which has greatly affected the quality and standard of Uganda’s animal products to compete in the international market,” Rwamwiri said.

Currently, agriculture employs about 70% of the population of Uganda and the livestock sector contributes about 3.3 % of the National Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

https://thecooperator.news/ministry-of-agriculture-invests-shs8-5-billion-to-promote-coffee-fertilizers/

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Festivities and terrorism: ARLPI call for vigilance

GULU – The Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative (ARLPI) has called on the people in the sub-region and the country to remain vigilant as they celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and the New Year’s Day.

Their appeal follow recent incidents of terror attacks majorly in Central Uganda which has left a number of people dead and others injured.

Sheik Musa Khelil, the Acholi Muslim District Khadi says, most times terrorists tend to plan and attacks where people have gathered or plan to gather to fulfil their mission.

The district Khadi also says, since the current period is for celebration, people tend to gather and live a carefree life and are not security cautious which makes it very easy for the terrorists to attack.

“Most times people congregate from various parts of the world to have some time with their relatives and friends. When people congregate, they are usually not security conscious which makes it very easy for the terrorists to attack,” Khelil observed.

“Now as we celebrate Christmas and New Year’s day, my appeal is that we are security cautious of the terrorists and also the pandemic because we don’t know where our colleagues are from and whether they are positive or not, otherwise we risk plunging the country into further restrictions which will continue to hurt our economy,” Khelil adds.

Archbishop John Baptist Odama, the Bishop of the Gulu Archdiocese while speaking to journalists from Flight View Hotel in Gulu City West Division this week, rallied people not only to focus on their personal joy but that of the underprivileged people by sharing the little they have.

Odama, also the acting Chairperson of ARLPI said, the festivities should be for showing love, sharing and protecting each other from the country’s deadliest enemy, COVID-19 which has subjected many people to abject poverty as a result of the continuous restrictions to curtail its spread.

David Ongom Mudong, the Aswa Region Police Spokesperson in a recent interview with our reporter said, their security deployment will double over the festive season since people will want to flout the guidelines set to curtail the spread of the contagion which is also likely to expose the region to terror acts.

Ongom said, they were doubling foot and motorized patrols to ensure sanity in the City center and other towns and trading centers within the region.

https://thecooperator.news/catholic-church-launches-ethical-code-to-guide-cooperatives/

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Ministry of Agriculture invests Shs 8.5 billion to promote coffee fertilizers

HOIMA – Ministry of Agriculture through Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) have launched a campaign to rejuvenateold coffee plantations in Bunyoro region through supplying fertilizers to registered farmers.

The campaign was on Wednesday launched by the State Minister for Animal Industry and Fisheries, Lt. Col Bright Rwamirama in Kyesiga village, Bujumbura ward, Hoima west division in Hoima city.

Dr. Emmanuel Lyamulemye Niyibigira, the Managing Director UCDA explained that the initiative is aimed at prompting coffee stumping in the region.

According to him, coffee stumping is the practice of rejuvenating older coffee trees by cutting all their main stems, to encourage new growth.

He said that when a farmer stumps his or her coffee plantation and applies fertilizers, its productivity triples. Lyamulemye also said, there are 2.2 million coffee trees but these trees are no longer productive because they are too old.

Lyamulemye added that under this initiative, UCDA will distribute 67,000 bags of organic fertilizers worth Shs 8.5 billion to 45,000 registered organic coffee farmers.

He challenged the coffee farmers to embrace organic fertilizers if their coffee is to meet world market standards in USA, Europe, Austria and New Zealand among others.

“We are giving out fertilizers to farmers to demonstrate that when you have stumped your coffee and you use organic fertilizers, you can increase productivity per tree, three to four times and that translates to money,” he said.

In his speech during the launch for fertilizers distribution campaign, Rwamirama noted that as the sector targets to increase coffee production from 8 million to 9 million kilograms, the initiative will help the farmers and the government to achieve this desire.

He called on the farmers to focus on modern farming to ensure that they increase the productivity of coffee through using fertilizers, planting quality coffee seedlings and seeking advice from the extension workers.

He explained that the usage of fertilizers among the coffee farmers is still low adding that as the farmers get introduced to fertilizer usage, there is a need to guide on how to apply it.

With the sector expecting targets to increase coffee production in 2021, the Ministry is focusing on increased production through effective disease control; promotion of smart economic practices, market access promotion and inspection certification, these priority areas will go a long way in enabling the farming community and government to achieve the desired transformation to commercials agriculture.

However, he challenged the extension workers to embark on their role of supervising farmers adding that it has been observed that extension workers are no longer doing their work as expected, yet they are being paid by the government to do this job.

He also advised that as they advocate for increased coffee productivity, farmers and leaders should prioritize the issues of post-harvest handling to ensure quality.

“When you produce, you must make sure that you harvest properly, when you have harvested properly, you must make sure that you dry coffee properly so that it is not contaminated and when you have harvested properly then you must store it properly, ready for market,” he said.

Isaiah Biingi, the Chairman Kyabigambire Coffee Farmers Association, commended the government for supporting them. Biingi said, coffee pests and diseases such as coffee wilt disease (tracheomycosis) and Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR), coffee berry borer or coffee borer beetle and the absence of extension workers are some of the challenges affecting coffee farmers in the region.

He further explained that pesticides are very expensive for the farmers and called on the government to intervene and get them subsidised pesticides.

https://thecooperator.news/stanbic-bank-uganda-continues-with-bold-steps-towards-ugandas-socio-economic-recovery/

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MTIC PS Geraldine Ssali challenges Commercial Officers on Parish Development Model

JINJA – Geraldine Ssali, the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives, has urged all stakeholders involved in the implementation of the Parish Development Model [PDM] to embark on changing the mindset of the general public if the model is to succeed.

Ssali was speaking at the Annual General Meeting [AGM] of the Association of District Commercial Officers and Cooperative Officers held at Jinja Civil Service College. The meeting brought together District Commercial Officers from across Uganda, Cooperative officers from the department of cooperatives, Cyprian Chillanyang-the Commissioner for Finance & Planning at Ministry of Local Government together with the team from the Parish Development Model Secretariat and the team from the Uhuru Institute for Social Development who were in attendance as key stakeholders in the development and one of the sponsors of the event.

“I dare you; this won’t go far if you do not work on the people’s mindset. Work on the mindset first, or they will all receive the money and eat it. Because they know the government gives free money,” She said.

She assured the Commercial officers of 100% support noting that they are the foot soldiers for the implementation of all Trade Industry Local Economic Development functions at the local government. The commercial officers work under the Trade, Industry, and Local Economic Development Department.

TILED is a department of the Ministry of Local Government responsible for the delivery of trade development and promotion, enterprise development, market linkages, cooperative mobilization and trade outreach, tourism promotion, and industrial development services.

The department implements the LED Policy which provides a framework for partnerships in local economic development to ensure inclusive, sustainable, and equitable economic growth at local levels.

Ssali further implored the District Commercial Officers to develop strategies that would enable the service of the PDM to reach the lowest person in every parish.

The Parish Development Model is anchored on seven key pillars namely; production, storage, processing, and marketing, as pillar number one, the second pillar is infrastructure and economic services, while the pillar is on financial inclusion, which is deemed key for monitoring and evaluation. Social Services is the fourth pillar while mindset change which includes cross-cutting issues like gender, disability, and environment is pillar number five. Information management systems based at the parish level as well as governance and administration are the sixth and seventh pillars respectively.

Following an address by Ciprian Chillanyang on the implementation of the PDM, she expressed skepticism on whether the Ugx 100 million would produce the much-needed development at the local government level, urging the PDM stakeholders to produce evidence-based research that indicates that how much money each parish in the country would need to change their fortunes.

“Some parts of the country are more advanced and bigger in size compared to other parishes which are much smaller in population that Ugx 100 million may not be enough” She claimed.

Ssali also encouraged Commercial Officers to provide information and feedback to the team at the helm of the Parish Development Model in ensuring that the needs of the communities are adequately addressed.

“You’re at the bottom of the implementation stage, please advise these people from the center on the right paths to follow while getting to the action,” She added.

Ssali adds that with the right strategies, the project would be a success, urging the implementers to prioritize inclusiveness and gender parity.

On the financial inclusion pillar, she wondered why the loanable funds will be charged a minimal interest rate which would be based on the inflation rate at the time, plus 1 percent.

“Ugx 100m per parish, is a hard knock, and then you charge an interest! At a moral level and financial sense, it’s not right.”

She added that the government ought not to operate like a commercial bank, but rather a state that should provide the funds as a service to uplift communities from poverty.

“We need to be realistic, we’re not a bank, we need to think and re-strategize realistically,” she said.

On their part, the Commercial Officers reported that they are faced with multiple operational challenges at their stations which would call for her intervention. The challenges noted include lack of transport facilities and other office equipment yet at least 80 percent of the work they do is field-based.

The Chairperson of Commercial Officers Association Kigozi James, further noted that several government projects are implemented without clearly established guidelines and communication, which bogs their operations down.

“Like Emyooga, we all got stuck, we did not have clear guidelines, yet everyone wanted the money. Those that were sent did not have authentic signatures,” he said.

He called for a clear and streamlined communication line between the center and their local governments.

In addition, several participants emphasized the need for timely, orderly, and well-coordinated communication from the government regarding the implementation of the parish development model.

Charles Aboola one of the Technical advisors in the department of LED Under MoLG, informed the stakeholders that the PDM is not new because the government has already been working at the parish level and clarified that the government is expanding its interventions at the parish level to deal with the silo mentality that has undermined government efforts in achieving more amidst the constrained resource envelope.

He also urged the DCOs to work with the guidelines that have been provided even though they are not signed, but cautioned them to always ensure written confirmation from the secretariat. He further elucidated that the current guidelines are not signed because they may change since the PDM implementation continues to undergo several adjustments.

 

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Sheema: Rukumbagaza re-elected Board chair of Kigarama People’s SACCO

Kigarama People’s SACCO has elected a new board to lead the SACCO for the next four years.

In a contentious Annual General Meeting [AGM] that had earlier been challenged in court by the then board Chairman, Grace Rukumbagaza.

The AGM was finally held on Wednesday at Bugarama H/S in Kanyeganyegye trading center in Masheruka town council Sheema district.

According to Allan Buhanda, the District Commercial Officer [DCO] Sheema, the long-awaited AGM since 2019 was finally attended by 160 delegates out of 200 delegates from six branches in Buhweju and Sheema who were elected during the November pre-AGM.

Compared to the previous AGMs, Kigarama people’s SACCO held a peaceful election as Rukumbagaza and most of his board members were re-elected unanimously for the next four years.

Other re-elected board members include; Mauda Maureen [treasurer], Didas Francis [secretary], Jenipher Tibenda, innocent Asiimwe, Citrus Barigye, Silvester Mugisha, Saviano Mbugane, and Winfred Nabada who replaced Godwin Arikwera as the Vice Chairman.

After the elections, the Chairman-elect pledged to ensure quality services for the smooth development of Kigarama People’s SACCO.

“During this term of office, we shall review the policies, construct and improve the head office. I want to encourage you to ensure quality services as well as strengthen the mobilization of members,” says Rukumbagaza

According to Buhanda, some of the delegates who were at log heads with the Chairman boycotted the AGM.

“This time round there was no race, the Chairman was just unopposed because nobody showed any interest for the Chairmanship position,” says Buhanda

The District Commercial Officer [DCO] encouraged the new leadership to reconcile with their adversaries if they are to restore the SACCO’s lost glory.

“We all need each other for the good of the SACCO” said Buhanda

John Muhabwe, one of the founding members said he could not attend an election AGM where the Chairman is alleged to have bought all the delegates to retain his seat.

“It would be a wastage of time to stand with someone whose term of office expired in 2018 but bought all the delegates in advance to keep himself in power as you’ve seen,” said Muhabwe

“Can you believe that all the eight board members were unopposed out of more than 10,000 able-bodied women and men in Kigarama SACCO. This shows you the level of greed of the Chairman and his board” Muhabwe adds

Godwin Arikwera, the former Vice Chairman was uncomfortable that the Chairman had personalized the SACCO that was established in 2005 by courageous men and women to financially support the welfare of their households.

“Look, during the Covid19 lockdown, the Chairman bought a Shs142 million car and also opened two SACCO branches without any AGM approval. This contradicts the cooperative principles that anything to be done must be resolved by the members,” Arikwera said

He says most of the members have now abandoned Kigarama SACCO and plans are underway to start a new SACCO.

“So far we now have about 100 registered members and by the end of December we shall have hit our target of 300 members to open a new SACCO and leave Kigarama SACCO to Rukumbagaza,” Arikwera explained

Osbert Amanya said the lawyers will ensure that the Chairman pays the court costs in a matter he lost to the former registrar of cooperatives in October 2021.

“Starting a new SACCO does not stop Rukumbagaza from paying court costs, our Lawyers are pursuing the matter to ensure he pays all the costs incurred in the matter,” says Amanya

He adds that after forming a new SACCO, they will still remain members of Kigarama People’s SACCO by shares.

“We have no chances of selling our shares because the bylaws do not allow so we shall remain as members until Rukumbagaza leaves the SACCO” says Amanya

Frank Kyerere, the Resident District Commissioner [RDC] Sheema blamed the leadership struggle in the SACCOs on the capital accumulations and benefits.

“You know SACCOs are rich, they work like a bank for instance a SACCO like Kigarama running about 20billion somebody leading it gets a lot of benefits that’s why they don’t want to leave,” Kyerere said.

The RDC also appealed to Kigarama people’s SACCO top leadership to reconcile with the members for the betterment of their financial institution.

“The board should reconcile with the members; I also ask the members not to leave the SACCO, they should remain calm and continue running their SACCO” says Kyerere.

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