Through various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), government has renewed its commitment to fixing service delivery gaps in the country following an oversight monitoring inspection exercise on service delivery in selected sub-regions of Greater Masaka and Acholi.
The move comes following a report released by the Minister of State for Economic Monitoring Office of the President, Hon. Akello Beatrice Akori on Wednesday, February 15.
Among other findings, the report cites poor infrastructural and civil works characterized by the poor quality of completed projects, inefficient deliverances, cost overruns, time overruns, shoddy works, among others.
During a consultative meeting involving different MDAs to discuss service delivery gaps in the country at the Office of the President in Kampala, Akello vowed to work with MDAs in holding local government officers accountable for inefficient deliverances that cause financial loss to the government. She further urged stakeholders to focus on looking for solutions other than lamenting after ministers and officials took to the podium to complain about challenges faced in their departments.
While presenting the report on behalf of the minister, the Director, Directorate of Socio-Economic Monitoring and Research, Vincent Tumusiime highlighted some of the issues observed during the inspection.
“Some of the markets we are seeing is that we are building five stars and people don’t go upstairs. One example is actually in Masaka, Nyendo where even the people are only occupying the ground level and the first floor is just abandoned and yet a lot of money went there. So we wonder how those designs were done.” Tumusiime said.
He also shared an observation about a five-road project in Gulu City which is valued at Shs42 billion. He says the 15km project was behind schedule as a result of lack of right of way for the 400 meters around a state house lodge.
Also present at the meeting was John Chrysestom Muyingo, the State Minister for Higher Education as well as Works minister Gen. Katumba Wamala among others.
While delivering his remarks, Muyingo noted that they (government officials) need to be whipped [checked], further telling Minister Akello not to be threatened by anyone.
“It s true for government projects we need a coordinator for example we have put up schools in places where accessing water is very difficult. We have built schools and installed computer labs and electricity is not there. So we need that coordination badly,” Muyingo said.
During the meeting, MDAs agreed to work together in fixing service delivery gaps by sharing working solutions.
