Lawmakers on Parliament’s Joint Committees of Budget and Finance have raised several loopholes in the Government’s National Development Plan IV (NDP IV) with some describing the plan as ambitious since the plans weren’t in tandem with the limited resources to execute the plans.

During Tuesday’s meeting at Parliament, West Budama North MP, Maximus Ochai led the criticism noting that the national development plan four is very thick, that means there are so many plans there for five years which are unrealistic.

Under Regional Development Programs, Government proposed interventions to formulate Sub-Regional Development Plan and the focus will largely lie on all those sub-regions that are lagging behind in economic progress, a proposal Ochai welcomed but wondered why the focus hasn’t been put on the poorest regions, instead of casting the net to all regions.

He also questioned the mechanism of reducing the poverty rates in Uganda stating that the key performance indicators, particularly at outcome level, are many and some seem to be unrealistic.

However, Patrick Isiagi, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Budget Committee wondered why Ochai should cast doubts on the Government’s plan of reducing poverty, arguing that after all, it is the same Government to implement the plan and will be held accountable for any shortfalls.

Bugabula South MP, John Teira decried the limited consultations carried out by National planning authority during the formulation of the national development plan, saying some technocrats expressed reservations about the plan, after they were snubbed during its formulation.

Meanwhile, the National Planning Authority (NPA) has urged political parties to try and align their manifestos on the NDP IV that is currently under scrutiny before parliament.

The call has been made by the State Minister for Planning, Amos Lugoloobi after Bunya South MP Idi Isabirye complained about some projects appearing in manifesto’s but aren’t under the NDP IV.

Lugoloobi in response informed MPs that they plan to have a midterm review of the plan to include some of the issues in the manifesto of the winning political party.

The Budget Committee Chairperson, Patrick Isiagi recommended for the review to be done after one year instead of two and half years but Lugoloobi rejected this suggestion saying their policy talks of two and half years.

He noted that they are urging political parties to follow the national development plan while formulating their manifestos.

By Francis Lubega

7 Jan 2025

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