The Civil Society Advocacy Group (CSBAG) have warned government to use the seven pillars of the Parish Development Model (PDM)if it’s to achieve its intended objective of alleviating poverty from the country.
The Policy and Programs Adviser of CSBAG JEFF Gidaguyi Wadido while addressing journalists at his organization office in Ntinda, Kampala, said that although PDM was designed to thrive on seven pillars, only one pillar of the financial inclusion is being used by the implemented of the program.
Gidaguyi prophesied that if other pillars of the PDM are ignore then the program is bound to fail just like all the first programs like the NAADS, ‘Entandikwa’, ‘Bonnabaggawale’ and the ‘Emyoga’ which have not yielded any positive results.
“As a Civil Society Organization, we note that the implementation of the PDM is still flawed with a number of challenges such as the mindset change of individuals which need to be urgently addressed. If this is not tackled then the PDM will be a wastage of time.” Gidaguyi noted.
He further said that the population perceive this PDM funds as a token of appreciation from government and if the model is implemented hinging on only one pillar of Financial Inclusion, it will create an inconsistent between the design and execution of the PDM program.
Gidaguyi on behalf of CSBAG also called upon government to reconsider its earlier budget plan of cutting the ministry of gender budget by 71.51% in the coming FY 2023/2024.
He said that this will hamper the implementation of the ministry’s programs like the rehabilitation of street children extending the social services to PWD.
Ronald Ochan the CSBAG Economist noted that the ever increasing domestic debt affects the private sector because if government continues to borrow domestically but servicing the debt become slow then the sector will be crippled and other challenges like un employment and low tax base will escalate.
Ochan also said that government should not be responding to the social media like it has been the case after the social media portraying the poor status of roads in Kampala. He said that government be following a systematic plan to on the repairing and maintenance of not only roads but all its infrastructures in general.
He also calls upon government to increase on funding to the IGG office and other related offices that are fighting corruption because this will help to save funds that have individuals have been swindling.