KAMPALA – The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah has called on the government to adopt a new financing mechanism where programs are financed based on results.
“We are saying that if your account that you built the school as per the specifications and money allocated, also tell us how many children have started passing exams because of the school built, we want to see the changes in the community, not just reports,” said Mr. Oulanyah
By doing this, he says the government will not only fight resource wastage but overcome dependence on donor funding.
“I say this because I am sure the money we as Parliament pass every year is sufficient to handle the affairs of the country 100% without external help, but there is a lot of wastage,” said Mr. Oulanyah
The Deputy Speaker says the current financing mechanism is hindered by corruption and diversion of resources. “We waste resources, we steal some, we hire people who are completely incompetent, who can’t see through things”
Mr. Oulanyah made these remarks while launching a UGX 40bn USAID funded project titled ‘Enabling Health in Acholi’, on Tuesday 22 October 219 at Koch Goma HCIII Nwoya district.
The project will run for four years and will be implemented in districts of Gulu, Omoro, Nwoya, and Amuru.
The Health Minister, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng said that the 4 districts benefiting from the US donation have performed well in areas of maternal health, validating the essence of result based refinancing.
Dr. Aceng said the UGX 40bn will mainly focus on improving maternal and child health “I want to task health workers to ensure that our mothers and babies don’t die when they reach health facilities,” said Dr. Aceng
The US Ambassador to Uganda, Deborah Malac said she was hopeful that the funding from her government will reduce maternal and child deaths which she said are way too many yet from preventable causes.
“We have given a gift of 11m USD to the government of Uganda to help expand services in the four districts with the hope that it will transform child and maternal health in the Acholi sub-region” Said Ms. Malac.
