TOURISM MINISTRY ADVISED TO BORROW IN ORDER TO OPERATE

By; Francis Lubega

The Parliamentary Trade committee chairperson Alex Ruhunda has advised the Ministry of Tourism to apply for a loan to address funding gaps in the sector.

Ruhunda made the remark after the Minister for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities Ephraim Kamuntu and the Permanent Secretary Doreen Katushabe revealed that, the Tourism sector which contributes to over 6 trillion shillings to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and to more than 1.4 billion dollars in foreign exchange but only receives 0.43% from its proceeds in the proposed 2018/19 national budget of 29.9 trillion shillings which is unfair.

Ruhunda conquered with Kamuntu over the funding gaps but advised them to seek for private sector partnership and also apply for a loan in order to meet the target of attracting 4 million tourists annually in the Second National Development Plan and Vision 2040.

The Bufumbira East Member of Parliament Dr. James Nsaba Buturo and Busia Municipality’s Geoffrey Macho and other committee members want the 104.4 billion shillings allocated to the ministry be increased to boost domestic tourism, conservation, renovation of sites like Uganda National Museum and also projects like the master plan for the Source of the Nile which will require over 7 billion shillings.