Verify all NAADS beneficiaries
Jan 24, 2010
THE National Agricultural Advisory Services’ (NAADS) top executive has promised to carry out measures to clean up the agency. The agency’s executive director, Dr. Silim Nandy and board chairman, Dr. Mwalimu Musheshe, during a recent media briefing, affirmed that a review was underway to identify
THE National Agricultural Advisory Services’ (NAADS) top executive has promised to carry out measures to clean up the agency. The agency’s executive director, Dr. Silim Nandy and board chairman, Dr. Mwalimu Musheshe, during a recent media briefing, affirmed that a review was underway to identify corrupt officials with a view of prosecuting them.
The $120m NAADS programme was started in 2001 to boost farmers’ production and household income. The programme, has in effect, been in existence for close to a decade and was recently integrated with the Government’s Prosperity for All programme (Bonna Bagaggawale).
NAADS is one of the state agencies which have featured prominently during President Yoweri Museveni’s ongoing countrywide tour to promote the Prosperity for All programme. In most of the areas visited, people are critical of the programme, saying the funds have only benefited local government officials.
In other areas, the beneficiaries have questioned the quality of the items supplied to them under the programme. There have been complaints that the items were substandard, yet their cost heavily inflated.
But what is even worse is the fact that in some places, the local people have alleged that the list of beneficiaries includes ghosts. This has prompted the President to ask security personnel to verify the authenticity of the list of beneficiaries of the NAADS programme.
NAADS’ top executive has a big challenge to restore public trust. It is important that a thorough verification exercise for the beneficiaries in each district is carried out to establish whether there are ghosts. It is also important to verify the extent of assistance provided to the beneficiaries.
The list of the beneficiaries and nature of assistance extended to them should be made public through the media and be circulated to Members of Parliament and local governments’ leaders. This will enhance accountability and transparency in the programmes implemented by NAADS.
The $120m NAADS programme was started in 2001 to boost farmers’ production and household income. The programme, has in effect, been in existence for close to a decade and was recently integrated with the Government’s Prosperity for All programme (Bonna Bagaggawale).
NAADS is one of the state agencies which have featured prominently during President Yoweri Museveni’s ongoing countrywide tour to promote the Prosperity for All programme. In most of the areas visited, people are critical of the programme, saying the funds have only benefited local government officials.
In other areas, the beneficiaries have questioned the quality of the items supplied to them under the programme. There have been complaints that the items were substandard, yet their cost heavily inflated.
But what is even worse is the fact that in some places, the local people have alleged that the list of beneficiaries includes ghosts. This has prompted the President to ask security personnel to verify the authenticity of the list of beneficiaries of the NAADS programme.
NAADS’ top executive has a big challenge to restore public trust. It is important that a thorough verification exercise for the beneficiaries in each district is carried out to establish whether there are ghosts. It is also important to verify the extent of assistance provided to the beneficiaries.
The list of the beneficiaries and nature of assistance extended to them should be made public through the media and be circulated to Members of Parliament and local governments’ leaders. This will enhance accountability and transparency in the programmes implemented by NAADS.