WELL, GIVEN HOW MANY COUNTRIES WE HAVE INVADED AROUND US, THIS IS PRUDENT. BUT DID YOU PAY THE SALARIES YET AND PUT MEDICINE IN HOSPITALS AND TAKE CARE OF THE ROADS. No amount of defense investment will spare you from the wrath of your citizens. The writing is on the wall. Ignore it at your own risk. --------------------------- The Prime Minister, Dr Ruhakana Rugunda has launched the 2014 Poverty Status Report with a call to direct a big chunk of next year’s budget towards defence and security, promoting investment in increased production, value addition and scientific research and innovation. Dr Rugunda said the measure would enhance economic transformation. Uganda maintains armed combat forces in Somalia, Central African Republic and South Sudan where they are engaged in costly military operations. With the Eastern Congo and South Sudan still unstable and Al Shabaab still planting bombs in Mogadishu, Uganda is steadily fasting itself for bigger security challenges ahead. Rugunda made the remarks while opening the National Budget Conference at Speke Resort, Munyonyo in Kampala on Friday. Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Resident District Commissioners, and District Local Government leaders, as well as members of the diplomatic corps attended the conference that climaxed a five-day annual retreat to review government performance. “It is only through efficient allocation of our nation’s resources that we can realize our strategic vision for a developed Uganda,” Dr Rugunda observed. He said next year’s budget should consolidate NRM’s achievements under the National Development Plan. “Gross Domestic Product has grown more than ten-fold from Shs 3.5 trillion in 1986 to Shs 68.4 trillion by June 2014, household incomes substantially increased and poverty reduced to 19.7% by 2013,” Rugunda, quoting the status report, noted. The Poverty Status Report 2014 recommends that the restructured National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) be more focused on providing extension services rather than physical inputs, and work more with agribusinesses and farmer organisations. According to the Report, SACCOs should be helped to position themselves in contract production systems, as more resources are invested in land registration and adjudication, particularly in northern and eastern regions. Dr Rugunda enumerated the successes in socio-economic development such as education, water and sanitation, health, housing, energy and financial services over the past year. He however, noted that it was now time to move a notch higher by tackling the more fundamental bottlenecks towards long-term sustainable economic development and overall transformation of the economy. Next year’s expenditure priorities include strengthening national defence and security, increasing production, productivity and value addition, infrastructure and information, and communication technology, and facilitating the private sector, among others. Rugunda also launched the National Budget Call Centre on behalf of President Yoweri Museveni. The centre is facilitated with three toll-free phone lines and a website to enable the public access any information on budgetary allocations and implementation in their respective localities. The Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Maria Kiwanuka delivered the Budget Strategy for next financial year. It involves enhancing capacity for increased domestic revenue mobilization, human resource and skills development, among others. On behalf of the UN family in Uganda, the UNDP Country Representative, Eziakonwa-Onochie congratulated the government on achievements in various sectors. She, however, noted the need to smoothen regional development disparities and reduce income gaps between the rich and the poor, the urban and the rural. Others who delivered papers were Keith Muhakanizi, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development permanent secretary, Local Governments Association President Fred Ngobi Gume and the Private Sector Foundation Executive Director, Gideon Badagawa. chimpreports/uganda-plans-heavy-investment-in-defence/
Posted on: Sat, 06 Dec 2014 22:36:43 +0000
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