Kabale, (UG):- The Minister of State for Finance, Henry Musasizi says the government plans to increase its fund allocation to each parish to at least Shs200 million for the Parish Development Model in the next financial year.
Speaking on Saturday in Kabale District, the minister highlighted the initiative as a key strategy to combat poverty at the grassroots level.
“We are planning to increase the PDM funds from the current Shs100 million to Shs200 million per parish. This is part of our strategy to accelerate poverty eradication and boost economic activities at the household level,” Musasizi revealed.
The minister was speaking during the climax of the 2024 Bishop’s Annual Appeal Fund (BAAF) for Kabale Catholic Diocese at Our Lady of Good Shepherd Rushoroza Cathedral in Kabale Municipality.
Hon Musasizi underscored the importance of the Parish Development Model, describing it as the government’s “final strategy to eliminate poverty.” He, however, expressed concern about the increasing poverty levels among households in the Kigezi Sub-region.
“Nationally, current statistics indicate that the poverty level stands at 20.1%. However, in the Kigezi Sub-region, poverty has risen from 24% to 27%. This is alarming and shows that poverty is escalating day by day in the region. We must work hard to address this issue,” he noted.
Emphasizing the need for leaders to promote government programs like Emyooga and PDM, Musasizi remarkably urged the leaders saying; “I encourage you to embrace commercial agriculture and apply ‘Ekibaro’ (a local concept of profitability analysis) to maximize productivity and profits.”
“If we adopt this method effectively, people will improve their livelihoods. Our goal is for every Ugandan to wake up with a plan to engage in income-generating activities,” he added.
The minister also commended Kabale Catholic Bishop Callist Rubaramira for his continuous efforts in promoting development at the household level. “My Lord Bishop, I sincerely thank you for your guidance on achieving socio-economic development within the diocese, particularly at the family level. This aligns with the President’s vision of encouraging everyone to embrace development to eradicate poverty,” he said.
On June 13, the government announced that Shs1.059 trillion will be allocated to the Parish Development Model in the 2024/2025 budget with each parish getting Shs100m. The initiative, according to the NRM government, aims to uplift household incomes and enhance community-based economic activities.
The increased funding underlines the government’s commitment to addressing poverty through sustainable and localized solutions, with a focus on empowering individuals and communities to achieve economic self-reliance.
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