By Wahat Habib

Arua City

Arua City has been ranked as the best city out of the 10 cities in Uganda in Local Revenue Collection totaling to over 1.4 Billion Shillings in just three months.

Arua Municipality was transformed to a city status on the 20^th July 2020, with the absorption of all the administrative units of Ayivu County. Two resultant Divisions were then created namely; Arua Central Division with its Headquarters in the former Oli Division and Ayivu Division with its Headquarters at Onduparaka.

In the first Quarter of this financial year 2023/2024, a report from Arua central division indicates that the local revenue collections stands at 1,428,580,120 shillings as compared to 1,005,280,000 Shillings collected for a full financial year of 2022/2023.

The first quarter of the Financial Year 2023/2024 Local revenue standings are as below.

SNO	Name of the firm	Particulars of revenue source	Performance for 3 quarters 2022/2023 FY	Quarter I financial Year 2023/2024
1		Tendered sources	795,000,000	580,000,000
2	Adeignas (U) limited	Trading License and Operational Permit.	40,000,000	503,375,620
3	Green south Co. Limited	Rentals form gaga Textile Market.	101,000,000	103,000,000
4	Jasim care	Local hotel Tax (LG-HT)	6,280,000	43,000,000
5	Maraka Investments	Outdoor advertisement	8,000,000	18,900,000
6		ONTR	55,000,000	180,304,500
Total			1,005,280,000	1,428,580,120

 
The Deputy Mayor of Arua Central Division Jackson Dratibi reveals that this mile stone is due to the joint efforts of Arua Central Division Councilors together with the division Town clerk. He continues to explain that Arua City Central Division plans to collect up to Ten Billion shillings. “I have served this local government for 30 years and I see the beauty of a Town Clerk in Drakuma Maliki who can cooperate with other authorities to perform”.

Mazaid Khemis, the Mayor Arua Central division thanks the business community in Arua City for cooperating with the City authorities.  He continued to revel to Radio Pacis the Outlined Development infrastructure in Arua central Division in that Arua Central Division received funds from United National Capital Development Funds (UNCDF).

Under the project accounts so far, Arua Central received three hundred seventy five thousand (375,000) Dollar; that is around Nine Hundred Million Ugandan Shillings (900Million); that is set for this quarter it’s going to come for two quarters that will be around 3billion.  “Because we host refugees, they have said that Arua City should identify places in Central Division where they can build modern place that can generate income so, we are planning to build a Modern Library, Banking hall, a Skilling School, Conference hall and Offices for Arua Central Division”. He revealed.
 
Whereas the Member of Parliament Arua Central Division Atima Lee Jackson Buti explained that this revenue is going to boost service delivery to the people of Arua Central Division. He also revealed that through the Ministry of local Government, the President of Uganda, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni promised to fund more Market construction projects in Arua City. The Markets earmarked include Owino, Lobida, and South Sudanese Fish Markets. “I have submitted the names of the Land lords to the Minster for Local Government to handle Negotiations.” He affirms.

Arua City with the Two Divisions of Arua Central and Ayivu Division, in the Financial Year 2023/2024, plans to spend 48,049,000,000 shillings. Also Arua City’s medium term expenditure Plans in the Budget framework paper for the financial year 2023/2024 will focus on improvement of infrastructure, education and sensitization of city resident house hold members on the Parish Development Model among others.

COVER PHOTO: Jackson Atima Lee Buti addressing Councilors of Arua Central Division By Wahat Habib