Govt Sets Aside Sh40 Billion To Fight Poverty
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni
President Yoweri Museveni has disclosed that the NRM Government allocated Shs.40 billion towards the poverty eradication programme in the 2013/2014 financial year.
The President was addressing veterans in Lwengo Sub-County, Lwengo District in the ongoing programme of interacting with veterans with regard to the Government efforts to eradicate household poverty.
He said that NRM is committed to availing projects that have a multiplier effect within the poverty eradication programme. He revealed that progressive farmers and those at the low level would be assisted to ensure that everyone gets out of the poverty cycle.
Mr. Museveni said that the Government has put in a lot of efforts in building infrastructure because it has direct linkages with wealth creation. He told the gathering that Shs 2.3 trillion has been budgeted for within this financial year to fund the road construction exercise. He castigated people who are out deceiving wananchi that the NRM Government had done nothing towards the development of the country.
President Museveni informed the gathering that wananchi can improve their incomes through proper utilization of their pieces of land. He gave a number of examples of people who have progressed including Mr. Francis Lwanga who gave testimony over the successful cultivation of mangoes.
He revealed that he generates between Shs 15 and Shs 30 million per year from mangoes that are grown on 2 acres of land based in Kalisizo, Lwengo District.
President Museveni, therefore, stressed that veterans have the capacity to enhance their incomes and become leading examples to the rest of the people in their respective places.
The President called on the people to cultivate at least one acre of coffee, one of fruits, one of bananas and another of elephant grass for dairy cows.
He announced the appointment of Major Paul Nsamba to monitor Lwengo zone in the poverty eradication efforts. He tasked him to provide free breeds of bananas, coffee and other crops and distribute them free of charge to the people starting with the veterans.
He said that with effect from the next financial year, the Government would establish nursery beds to promote the seed distribution process. He added that Government would provide brick making machines with a target of ensuring the availability of cheap bricks adding that the Government would also build houses for teachers and medical personnel in the zones which were actively involved in the protracted armed people’s liberation struggle.
He revealed that the Government’s target was to serve 150 homes per zone and continue serving more homesteads thereafter.
President Museveni pledged a donation of Shs 20 million for the Lwengo Veterans’ SACCO and another Shs 20 million for the military veterans of Lwengo Zone. He further pledged to provide them with maize mills and milk coolers in order to ensure value addition to their agricultural products. The President gave assurances that piped water supply to Lwengo District would be completed. He was happy to note that the Government would fund SACCOs in order to ensure cheap credit for the people.
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