Minister asks Local Council Leaders to embrace the Parish Development Model
The state Minister for Gender who also doubles as the area Woman Member of Parliament for Bunyangabu District has asked Local Council Chairpersons to embrace the Parish Development Model that has been rolled out by the government. Speaking at a training of Parish Chiefs and LCII Chairpersons of Bunyangabu District that she had organized at the District Headquarters on Monday 30th August, Hon Mutuuzo explained that the Parish Development Model is a program where the government seeks to improve people's House hold income as well as shift the popuplation to a commercial economy. "The model will see development activities planned for and executed in parishes, as the lowest level unit for planning and development, as government moves to advance the benefits of decentralisation. The initiative aims to spring the nearly 39 per cent of households from subsistence economy to commercial production," she explained. She asked Local council Chairperson to take interest in owning this program and also ensuring that it benefits the people in their respective communities to enhance development. The District Chairperson Mr. James Ategeka Mugarama thanked the NRM Government for coming up with programmes that are aimed at raising House hold income. He also thanked the Residents of Bunyangabu for working hard with an aim of alleviating poverty from the District. " As we talk Bunyangabu District has 48% of it's population in the money economy, to me this is a big sign of hard work," he noted. According to Ms. Elizabeth Kobugabe the Planner Bunyangabu District,the Parish Development Model encompasses seven pillars, including production, infrastructure and economic services, financial inclusion and social services. The others are community data (Community Information System), governance and administration, and mindset change. “The idea is that the people will decide what they need, in what place. If it is infrastructure, how do you ensure it is what the people want," she explained.