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Nwoya District Residents Cite Corruption in NUSAF III Implementation

by Donnas Ojok
The locals made the allegation during the recording of Kabake Community Radio Programme on September 22, 2019 at Owak Sub ward in Anaka Town council, Nwoya district, a pre-recorded program that airs every Sunday on 102 Mega Fm and funded by Konrad Adenuar Stiftung Foundation.

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A section of locals in Nwoya district have complained of corruption during the implementation of the third phase of the Northern Uganda Social Action Fund-NUSAF, a government program aimed at improving livelihoods of the community in the region.

The locals made the allegation during the recording of Kabake Community Radio Programme on September 22, 2019 at Owak Sub ward in Anaka Town council, Nwoya district, a pre-recorded program that airs every Sunday on 102 Mega Fm and funded by Konrad Adenuar Stiftung Foundation.

One of the residents, Douglas Opio said, “They built for us a wooden bridge which connects Owak to Bidati but we think the bridge will not last for long with these torrential rains.” Opio thinks the wooden bridge is not suitable in this era of technology.

Raymond Odong, another resident, alleges that they were given cassava cuttings to plant on 100 acres’ group farm which has since matured but that there is no market for the cassava. “District officials promised that Bukona, a spirit making company would buy the cassava from us but we are yet to see this happen,” he said.

Jimmy Laloyo, a youth leader in Owak Sub ward says civil servants have benefitted more from NUSAF III instead of the intended beneficiaries.

Ms Aringtho Stella who also contributed during the Kabake Community Radio Programme said, “We were given poor quality cassava cuttings which are susceptible to diseases and does not get ready.”

She also complained that officials should have given locals the opportunity to supply the cassava cuttings. Opio Willy Labeja suggested that government give direct cash to beneficiaries instead of going through district leaders who are most times corrupt.

However, some residents in their views said that the third NUSAF has been instrumental in improving their livelihoods.

Lagaro Patrick Labal said he was able to earn money during the opening of a road connecting Owak to Bidati.

“You cannot benefit from Government programs if you are lazy, some of us were hired to open the road and earned money,” Labal said.

The development objective of the Third Northern Uganda Social Action Fund Project for northern Uganda is to provide effective income support to and build the resilience of poor and vulnerable households in Northern Uganda after the end of the over two decades’ long the National Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency.

NUSAF phase III is a continuation of phases I and II. NUSAF I was worth 266 billion shillings and ended in March 2009, the second phase was worth 200 billion shillings while the third phase is worth 460 Billion Shillings - all funded by the World Bank.

While the first two phases of the project focused on revamping of schools, roads and health facilities, NUSAF III, a five-year project, targets to impart skills in a bid to transform the financial livelihoods of beneficiaries in line with government’s efforts to have a middle- class economy by 2020.

Report compilled by Justine Muboka, 102 Mega FM, Gulu

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