Gulu District Budget Conference 2015

In line with the planning and budgeting cycle, Gulu district held a budget conference on 15^th and 16^th January 2015; this forum brought together stakeholders such as government and NGOs operating in the district to give feedback mechanism to stakeholders, enhances participatory and consultative approaches based on evidence as core values of the planning and budgeting process. The conference is in line with the statutory planning functions and powers from the constitution of the republic of Uganda 1995, the LGA cap 243 and various guidelines issued from time to time to LGs by the central government. The district has discretionary planning and budgetary powers but its plans and budgets should reflect priorities and objectives set in the national development plan (2015/16-2019/20).

This year’s objectives of the conference were to review the district performance for the first half of the year, discuss on current key district development potentials, opportunities, constraints, issues and challenges, d build consensus on key development priorities for the FY 2015/16 and harmonize activities and budgets of all stakeholders-government and NGOs/development partners

During the conference, the chief administrative officer  said that they shall not be in position to carry out recruitment for this financial year due to the challenge of planning in the past financial year, she sought support in enforcing financial discipline and accountability in the district both to the different partners and stakeholders, the challenge of coordination between the district and the sub counties and different stakeholders operating in the district. And out of consensus, the house demanded that different stakeholders in line with the new guidelines that all development partners operating in the district should be part and parcel of the NDP II district implementation. However, during the plenary discussions, the representative of Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) at the district raised concerns on health in the areas of operations at Lakwana and Palaro and action points to district community service and DEO regarding need for circulation and together harnessing community learning programmes that could help build civic competence of the community members and also dissemination of the education ordinance so that stakeholders can use such during implementation of activities. And on day two, the district responded by offering some copies to FOWODE field office during the conference, and also commitment was sought that the two should work together to ensure that community learning programmes could be realized and the media speak fm in their topical community programmes could join efforts to carry out media sensitization on rights and responsibilities of the citizens.

From the conference it became clear that the quality of services should be offered to the community members, and that all the development partners should work with the technocrats, and Sub County. NGO, CSOs must direct their activities and support to the unfunded priorities there is need for development partners review meetings with the district authority, the district must be availed with copies of development partners activities being implemented in the district and that the budget conference should be representative by program officers or program managers who are well informed on organization policies and can make policy decisions regarding budgetary support and allocations to the district

To close the conference was the Gulu RDC who said that most development partners have proved to be so technical and tactful in their operations in the district, there is a circular from the  ministry of internal affairs to register all the development partners operating in the district with their activities being implemented, Development partners must share the9r quarterly reports with the district and together with CAO district leadership, they shall see how to effective the directives and circular from the ministry of internal affairs