LOCAL GOVT’S GIVEN ONE MONTH TO CLOSE USMID PROJECTS

Daily Monitor
The State Minister for Urban Development, Mr Obiga Kania, has directed all Local Governments with pending work under the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) programme to finalise and close them during this month (July).

The $150m World Bank-funded project, which has been implemented under the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development (MLHUD), started in the 2013/2014 financial year, and officially closed on June 30.

Mr Kania says the government is already negotiating with the World Bank for a continuity of another project called the Uganda Cities and Municipalities Infrastructure Development (UCMID), which he said will more or less have the same activities, but at a deeper level.

However, the Adjumani District LC5 chairman, Ben Anyama, said because the project ended at the close of the last financial year, most monies were returned to the consolidated fund.

Mr Kania, however, said currently, the law says that by June 30, any funds that haven’t been spent must be returned to the consolidated fund, but added that he thinks there is need to review that law because projects over spill the financial year, with some going beyond June 30.

According to Mr Kania, during the ten-year period, Uganda has achieved almost all its targets, and not received many serious reports of fraud and corruption, except for a few instances of misgivings and doubts about the costs of our works and general project expenses.

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