Onek wants disaster management fund established

Hillary Onek the Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, has decried government's delay to establish a contingency fund to handle disasters in Uganda.

Onek says on several occasions they have tried to push for the establishment of the fund but to no avail.

 "We need to have money in the budget for disasters. This is something that needs to be given consideration" Onek says.

He noted that currently, his office has to go begging in other ministries and relief agencies to handle disasters despite the fact that disasters are bound to happen and need preparedness.

Referring to the current famine in the country as a result of prolonged drought and crop failure, Onek said they had to beg the Ministry of Finance to give them money to offer relief to affected Ugandans.

"Last year we did not have money for disasters and we couldn't help the people of Mutukula who were affected by the earthquake. Even now the money is very little to handle the people who are affected," Onek said.

Uganda is vulnerable to many hazards such as floods, land and mudslides, epidemics, drought, hailstorms, and high rainfall variability among others.

On Thursday, while receiving a donation of 25,000 kilograms of rice from FOL logistics in Kampala Onek said the fund should be 3% of the approved budget.

"If there are no disasters, this money can still go back to the treasury, it is not that we are going to be splashing the money when there is no need," Onek explained.

The prevalence and severity of the disasters continues to erode the asset base of communities resulting in humanitarian crises.

Last year out of the sh141b that the ministry needed to address the disasters, only sh40b from the Ministry of Finance was given.

"This money is not enough, even to move the relief. But we pray this time we get the money for response in the budget," Onek said.

He commended FOL logistics for coming out to support government and offering relief.

Onek challenged other institutions to support the government and offer relief as a form of corporate social responsibility.

"This food will be going to some boarding schools which have been struggling to feed children. We are not going to give it to urban poor. That was a mistake. If you are starving in town go back to the village, there is no relief food for you in town," Onek said.

According to Elizabeth Rumanyika, the director FOL Logistics, the producers of Kingdom Rice, they came in to give a hand to government to address the issue of hunger as a way of giving back to the community.

"We hope this will help the people who are suffering with hunger and different parts of the country," Rumanyika said.