‘West Nile hasn’t gained from NUSAF’
May 18, 2006
DELAYED accountability of the Northern Uganda Social Action Funds (NUSAF) is hurting development in West Nile region.
By Patrick Jaramogi
DELAYED accountability of the Northern Uganda Social Action Funds (NUSAF) is hurting development in West Nile region.
This was recently disclosed by the NUSAF national policy committee on an evaluation tour of the region. The members who included Louise Opange and Dr. Peter Esele, decried the alarming poverty levels in the region.
“In most of the six districts we visited in West Nile, one major complaint of delayed disbursement of funds by NUSAF came up. We also discovered that most sub-committee projects and districts delay to account for the funds given to them,†said Opange (left).
“Once the funds are not accounted for in time. no more funds will be released. Once one district does not account, others are affected and their projects stall,†he said.
He warned the district officials not to interfere with NUSAF projects in the district.
“NUSAF was created to bridge the disparity in development between the north and the rest of the country by creating a funding mechanism that empowers the communities but the poverty levels in the region is looming at 70% yet the nations level fall at 38%,’ said Dr. Esele.
He said, “The poverty in West Nile is too much that the people are living on less that sh2,000 a day.â€
The members who visited the districts of Nebbi, Arua, Yumbe, Moyo and Adjumani however expressed satisfaction with the NUSAF projects in the region.
“There may be some challenges like the delay in the disbursement of NUSAF funds to the districts but so far what we have seen on the ground is worth appreciating. The bridges have been constructed, schools and health centers built and communities empowered through the various funding mechanism of NUSAF,†said Opange.
NUSAF, a World Bank and Government of Uganda funded project that has been in place since 2003, has funded over 4939 sub projects, worth sh62 billion in 18 districts.
Over sh30 billion has been earmarked for West Nile region alone.
Opange said following the World Bank mid term review report, regarding the alarming poverty levels in the north, NUSAF had decided to utilize more funds on households by injecting in more money in the Vulnerable Group Support (VGS) component.
Ends
DELAYED accountability of the Northern Uganda Social Action Funds (NUSAF) is hurting development in West Nile region.
This was recently disclosed by the NUSAF national policy committee on an evaluation tour of the region. The members who included Louise Opange and Dr. Peter Esele, decried the alarming poverty levels in the region.
“In most of the six districts we visited in West Nile, one major complaint of delayed disbursement of funds by NUSAF came up. We also discovered that most sub-committee projects and districts delay to account for the funds given to them,†said Opange (left).
“Once the funds are not accounted for in time. no more funds will be released. Once one district does not account, others are affected and their projects stall,†he said.
He warned the district officials not to interfere with NUSAF projects in the district.
“NUSAF was created to bridge the disparity in development between the north and the rest of the country by creating a funding mechanism that empowers the communities but the poverty levels in the region is looming at 70% yet the nations level fall at 38%,’ said Dr. Esele.
He said, “The poverty in West Nile is too much that the people are living on less that sh2,000 a day.â€
The members who visited the districts of Nebbi, Arua, Yumbe, Moyo and Adjumani however expressed satisfaction with the NUSAF projects in the region.
“There may be some challenges like the delay in the disbursement of NUSAF funds to the districts but so far what we have seen on the ground is worth appreciating. The bridges have been constructed, schools and health centers built and communities empowered through the various funding mechanism of NUSAF,†said Opange.
NUSAF, a World Bank and Government of Uganda funded project that has been in place since 2003, has funded over 4939 sub projects, worth sh62 billion in 18 districts.
Over sh30 billion has been earmarked for West Nile region alone.
Opange said following the World Bank mid term review report, regarding the alarming poverty levels in the north, NUSAF had decided to utilize more funds on households by injecting in more money in the Vulnerable Group Support (VGS) component.
Ends