By Annet Nakanwagi,
NATIONAL
The Prime Minister of Uganda Rt. Hon. Robina Nabbanja has asked leaders in local governments to monitor the implementation of government programmes and projects in their areas for effective social services delivery.
“I urge you the leaders to promote government programmes like Parish Development Model (PDM) and Emyooga in your areas and help the people to prioritize poverty eradication through commercial agriculture and to choose enterprises that are of high value,” she said.
The Premier made remarks on Wednesday 5th July, 2023 while officiating the launch of the third edition of the 2022 Local Government Management of Service Delivery (LGMSD) Performance Assessment Report at Hotel Africana in Kampala.
This Local Government Performance assessment was conducted between October to December 2022 with involvement of the performance assessment Task force, members from relevant Ministries , Departments and Agencies (MDAs) , Local Governments and Development Partners.
Nabbanja noted that the assessment report launched today is a product of the decentralization program and a component of the Uganda inter -governmental fiscal transfer reform program which arose out of decentralization reforms.
Geoffrey Sseremba, the Permanent Secretary of the OPM who was represented by the Acting PS said this report provides findings on performance of LGs , identifying issues constraining service delivery in LGs. He says the report focuses on ensuring resources transfer to LGs and effective distribution and utilization of funds to local and central governments.
The report indicates an overall improvement in average performance of local Governments to 51% in both minimum conditions and performance measures compared to 44% in 2021 and 36% in 2020.
“The improvement in performance is largely attributed to improved performance in the core performance indicators which largely focus on LG staffing , environmental and social safeguards which greatly determine the overall score. Also, efforts aimed at capacity building including the vigorous orientation of LGs on the assessment process and implementation of Performance Improvement Plans coordinated by the Ministry of Local Government have enlightened LGs on the assessment framework”, PS Sseremba said.
In relation to the report, the overall performance for all the LGs assessed in 2022 across the four dimensions improved from 36% in 2020 to 44% in 2021 and then 51% in 2022, equal to an increase of 15% compared with the first year (baseline). Education was the best performed area at 58% having improved from 53% in 2021, followed by Health which improved from 44% to 48%, Crosscutting from 38% to 46% and finally Water and Environment performance areas from 40% to 45% over the same period.
Education still performed slightly better than other areas because most districts and municipalities met the minimum conditions related to recruitment of critical staff (District/Principal Education Officers and School Inspectors) as well as environment and social safeguard issues in the 2022 assessment.
Best and Worst Performing Districts/Municipalities
Isingiro district emerged the overall best performers in 2022 scoring 89% , followed by Kiruhura and Ibanda districts scoring 80% and 79% respectively. Kamwenge 79% , Mayuge 73% , Bushenyi 72%, Ibanda Municipal Council 71% , Kibuku 69%, Bushenyi – Ishaka Municipal Council, Gulu and Sembabule districts each scoring 68% complete the list of the top ten best performing LGs.
In comparison to 2021 performance report, Isingiro , Ibanda, Kamwenge, Gulu and Sembabule districts remained among the top ten performers. Those that dropped from the ladder were Kira Municipal Council (84), Mpigi district (48), Njeru Municipal Council (96), Rubanda district (19), Masindi Municipal Council (42) and Kole district (36).
The worst performers on the other hand were; Kalaki and Kapelebyong each scoring 19% , closely followed by Namisindwa 21%, Ntoroko 23 %, Amuria 26% and Kwani 27% while Kumi Municipal Council, Bugweri and Serere each scoring 29% and Kween and Obongi each scoring 30% complete the list of bottom ten performing LGs.
Kalaki, Kapelebyong, Namisindwa and Obongi districts appeared again in the worst ten performing LGs when compared to 2021 assessment. Those that graduated from this category were Busia (111), Terego (67), Bukwo (142), Rukiga (19), Kitagwenda (107) and Buliisa (142).
Leaders Speak Out
“I take this opportunity to congratulate the people of Lwengo for emerging as NO:9 out of 146 LGs in the performance that has just been launched. Many issues were considered especially those to do with transparency , mobilization of resources in Local revenue, improvement of health and education performance, transport” said Kitata Ibrahim Almelik, Chairman Lwengo district.
Jaffari Basajjabalaba, the district Chairperson Bushenyi local government, also chairman of the NRM manifesto implementation expressed gratitude for the best performance of his district (ranked No:6) stating that Bushenyi is now moving towards the right direction.
Jaffari Basajjabalaba – Bushenyi DLG
He attributed the best performance to team work between leaders and the technical teams and members of the community in promoting service delivery in the area.
