JINJA, UGANDA: The First Deputy Prime Minister of Uganda and Minister of East African Community Affairs, Rt. Hon. Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, has rallied religious and cultural leaders in Busoga sub region to emphasize government led program of Parish Development Model (PDM) at ground levels in the sub region.
Kadaga made this call while meeting a section of religious and cultural leaders at Crested Crane Hotel in Jinja in a meeting organized by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development.
Kadaga said that the Central government and Ugandans have a lot of trust in religious and cultural leaders and therefore urged them to engage mobilizing people in Busoga to embrace the Parish Development Model program.
“Central government and Ugandans have a lot of trust in you as cultural and religious leaders so you need to engage in mobilizing people in Busoga to embrace the Parish Development Model program”, Kadaga said.
Kadaga was ushered in by Busoga Kingdom’s second deputy Prime Minister, Osman Noor Ahmed at the hotel with other stakeholders from Busoga who included religious leaders, cultural leaders, Busoga Kingdom Ministers, Princesses and Hereditary Chiefs led by Chief prince of Busoga and the Busoga Kingdom council speaker, George Mutyabule, among others.
Kadaga said that religious leaders almost meet many people at the grassroots and therefore are the best people to gear up the PDM program. “You are always on ground interacting with people there so we think you are the best people to stir up this program”, she said.
Kadaga further urged these leaders to focus on mindset change among the Basoga to embrace the program.
She said Busoga is still among the 39% of Ugandans still out of the money economy and have not benefited from other government programmes that have been rolled out in the past.
“Busoga is still among the 39% of Ugandans still out of the money economy and have not benefited from other government programmes that have been rolled out in the past”, She said.
“PDM is different from those other programmes and it aimed at helping the poorest of the rural poor”, Kadaga added.
Busoga Kingdom’s second deputy premier, Osman Noor Ahmed, said that Busoga Kingdom is a well structured institution right from the lower levels and hence requested the government through the First deputy Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Alitwala Rebecca Kadaga to tap into those Kingdom structures to deliver the PDM program in Busoga sub region.
“I want to be very clear that Busoga Kingdom has the best structures and through you Hon Minister, we call on government to tap into these structures and deliver the PDM program to our people in Busoga”, Owek Osman said.
Mr. Osman further asked the government to budget for the cultural institutions to enable them to disseminate information and sensitise the masses on the Parish Development Model.
He said the PDM has come at a time when Busoga needs it most since it is among the least developed regions in the Country adding that the Busoga Kingdom pledges total cooperation with the central government to promote PDM.
“This program comes at a time when Busoga is among the least developed regions in the country. We assure the central government total cooperation in promoting this program”, he added.
The Minister of State for the Elderly Gidudu Dominic was happy to meet religious leaders and cultural leaders from Busoga sub region and he also emphasized the need to focus on mindset change.
“I am extremely happy to meet religious and cultural leaders but the most important thing is the need to focus on mindset change by our people such that they can benefit from this program of Parish Development Model”, Mr Gidudu said.
Gidudu said all government interventions including agriculture, value chain, social services, financial inclusion, social amenities, are being brought at the parish level.
The Speaker of Busoga Lukiiko George Mutyabule requested for the revival of cooperative unions in Busoga to stimulate development in the sub region.
Chiefs present include the chief prince of Busoga Prince Samuel Zirabamuzale of Bugweri Chiefdom, Prince Patrick Izimba Gologolo of Kigulu, Prince Geoffrey Mutyaba of Bukono and Prince Henry Woira from Bulamogi.
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