NPA wants NGOs to declare funds to Govt

By Paul Kiwuuwa 

NATIONAL Planning Authority (NPA) has mooted a proposal requiring Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to declare their funds to Government to be reflected in the national budget.

The NPA executive director Joseph Muvawala on Wednesday told MPs on the Parliamentary committee of Defense and Internal Affairs that the proposal will ensure that NGOs' funds are translated into physical development and aligned with the National Development Plan.

"When NGOs bring in funds for development, it becomes public funds, therefore NGOs should be included in the budgetary process and their monies should be reflected in the national budget," Muvawala told MPs.

NPA is a government agency mandated to study and publish independent assessments of key economic and social policy issues and options so as to increase public understanding and participation in the economic and social policy debate.

Muvawala appeared before the committee which is currently receiving proposals from various organizations to be included in the NGO Bill 2015.

The objective of the Bill is to repeal and replace the NGO Act Cap 113, to provide a conducive and enabling environment for NGOs also to make provision for corporate status of the national board for NGOs and strengthen its capacity to register, regulate, coordinate and monitor NGOs.

He insisted that they must declare how much they intend to contribute and their source of funds to ensure proper accountability.

Richard Ssewakiryanga, the executive director Uganda National NGO Forum, which brings together NGOs in Uganda, said there are over 11,000 NGOs issued with certificates of operations in Uganda.

They include international, national and district NGOs known as Community Based Organizations, which operate in local areas or village level.

Muvawala said at the beginning of the financial year, international and national NGOs should declare their funding proposals before the NGO board, while those operating at the district level should submit their funding proposals to district technical planning committees chaired by Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs).

The committee chairperson, Bennie Namugwanya (Mubende Woman MP), said there are gaps in the law, calling for an amendment.

"NGOs compliment government's service delivery through provision of health, education, water, among others. However, the rapid growth of NGOs has led to subversive methods of work which undermines accountability and transparency. There is need to streamline their regulation," Namugwanya said.

Kabong Woman MP, Rose Akello said if the NGOs' funding is reflected in the national budget, it will reduce corruption where many district authorities fail to declare monies given by NGOs to carry out development programs.

Akello said: "District officials don't include any monies given for development purposes. In the local authorities, they just swindle the monies, and forge accountability," Akello said.

However, Ssewakiryanga insisted that before NGOs are issued with operating certificates, they are mandated to declare their monies and source of income to Government. 

He blamed Government for failure to implement the regulations on NGOs declaring their funds and sources.