By Leonard Kamugisha
KAMPALA
The Government has launched an oversight inspection of three major wealth-creation programmes in the Teso and Lango sub-regions amid concerns over beneficiary selection, access to funds, loan recovery and accountability.
The inspection, being conducted by the Office of the President through the Department of Socio-Economic Monitoring and Research, will assess the implementation of the Parish Development Model (PDM), Emyooga and the Cattle Restocking Programme.
State Minister for Economic Monitoring Sandra Santa Alum
said the exercise seeks to establish whether the programmes are reaching intended beneficiaries and delivering the expected economic benefits.
“Given the substantial public resources invested in these interventions, the inspection will establish whether they are effective, reaching the intended beneficiaries and generating the production, employment and household-income gains required to support Uganda’s transition towards a tenfold-expanded economy,” Alum said.
She was speaking to journalists at the Uganda Media Centre on Wednesday.
Alum said the monitoring team will engage district leaders, technical officers and beneficiaries, review programme records and inspect enterprises to establish the situation on the ground.
The exercise will scrutinise concerns including irregular beneficiary selection, weak SACCO governance, poor record-keeping, delayed access to funds, low loan recovery and possible diversion of public funds.
The Cattle Restocking Programme is intended to restore productive assets and livelihoods in communities affected by historical cattle losses in Teso and Lango.
Alum described the inspection as an accountability and learning exercise, rather than an attempt to intimidate programme implementers.
“Where weaknesses are identified, corrective action will be recommended. Where there is evidence of abuse of public resources, the matter will be referred to the mandated authorities to handle,” she said.
The inspection comes as the Government implements the Fourth National Development Plan and Tenfold Growth Strategy aimed at raising household incomes and moving families from subsistence to the money economy.
Alum urged local leaders and beneficiaries to provide accurate information to the monitoring team.
