WEST NILE REGION DESERVES MORE IN NDP IV

Stakeholders discussing the NDP IV in Arua Central Division council hall, Arua City. Photo by Federick Dramadri.

By Dramadri Federick

Arua City

As Ugandans await the approval of the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV)that runs from 2025/26 – 2029/30 by Parliament, stakeholders in West Nile region are advocating for heavy investments in infrastructural developments to ensure equitable service delivery cross the country.
 
Some of the Leaders and Civil Societies in West Nile Region say that during the ended National Physical Development plan, the region didn’t benefit much apart from the partial connectivity to the national grid.
 
The Fourth National Development Plan 2025 -2030 aims at securing the future through inclusive sustainable economic growth is anchored on five core pillars of prioritization logic, the program approach budgeting, use of Indicative planning figures, Integration of science Technology and innovation including ICT and Development and Enforcement of Service and service delivery standards.
 
Victor Lomori the speaker central division Arua city says West Nile region didn’t benefit so much during the NDP III in terms of infrastructural developments and wants the next plan to address the issues.

According to Lomori even after commissioning the National grid connection some districts including Obongi have not seen any color of an electric pole while major roads of the region that link districts to the faster growth centers including Arua city to Obongi via Terego and Yumbe has not been tarmacked as planned, Zombo to Vurra customs (a major transit route) have not been touched.

“You can imagine several roads in the region are in bad state including from Nebbi to Arua which used to be an hour’s drive is now 2 to 3 hours due to potholes all over the road, when you look at the roads from Nebbi to Goli, at the border and the one that ends at Lia (Odramacaku Border, they have not been worked on, these connectivity needed to be completed during the NDP IV.”
 
Abdullah Mohammed the acting physical planner Arua central division in Arua city is expectant that government expounds on the capital investments to boost the economic status of the citizens.

“Issues of health are there, issues of security are there, we really need heavy investments in education.”
 
Whereas Moses Oringi the programs manager West Nile Civil Society Network says for the government to achieve the intended goals in the Physical Development Plan IV, there is need for thorough sensitization and community engagements for better implementation.

“If you look at the previous programs which came during the NDP III for example the PDM but, how effective has it been, many people mismanaged the funds for other purposes other than project proposals so these are lessons we need to learn in developing programs for the people.”
 
 Government of Uganda, hopes for better delivery of services during the fourth National Development plan is the with the country’s economic growth in the NDP III at 202.13 trillion shilling as of the financial year 2023/24 far higher Compared to NDP I which was at 64.8 trillion shilling in financial year 2010/2011.
 
 

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