By Spy Uganda
Auditor General Edward Akol has revealed in his report for the financial year ending June 30, 2024, significant gaps in the implementation of the Parish Development Model (PDM), urging immediate intervention to address the issues.
In a report submitted to Parliament, the Auditor General highlighted delays in fulfilling key guidelines, including the establishment of Parish Development Committee (PDC) offices to ensure easier access for beneficiaries.
Additionally, the Auditor General expressed concern that only 79.93% of the required household data had been collected and verified, despite the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) investing in data collection during the initial year of the PDM’s implementation.
“A review of the Parish Development Model Information System (PDMIS) National Household Registration Reports as of April 2024 revealed that household-level data collection had reached only 79.93%, while population registration was at just 46.30%. This data was supposed to form the basis for identifying qualifying beneficiaries and facilitating periodic reviews and impact assessments,” the report stated.
The Auditor General has recommended that UBOS, in coordination with the Ministry of Information, Communications Technology and National Guidance, and the PDM Secretariat, integrate census results into the PDMIS data collection and registration module. This integration would facilitate the profiling and identification of subsistence households.
The PDM, launched by President Yoweri Museveni as a flagship project of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party, aims to uplift 39% of the population from a subsistence economy to a money economy. The government committed to providing UGX 1 million to 100 households per parish every financial year, using seven core pillars: agriculture value chain development, infrastructure and economic services, financial inclusion, social services, community mobilization and mindset change, the Parish Development Management Information System (PDMIS), and governance and administration.
However, the Auditor General’s report raises concerns about the PDM’s management at the local level. It was revealed that 2,985 PDM Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOs) across 127 local governments lacked registered offices, while 567 SACCOs in 41 local governments had no registered office at all. Furthermore, 2,898 SACCOs in 121 local governments were found to have no signboards displaying their names and addresses.
The report also pointed out that the WENDI mobile application platform, used by SACCOs to receive funds, has not yet been integrated with government-owned banks. This lack of integration may hinder the effectiveness of the program. The Auditor General has recommended that the Ministry of Information, ICT and National Guidance work with the Ministry of Finance to secure additional funding to fully implement the PDMIS and integrate the WENDI platform with all participating banks.
The report also notes that while UGX 1.107 trillion was allocated to the PDM program for the financial year 2023/24, only UGX 1.059 trillion was directed to the Parish Revolving Fund for the 10,594 mapped parishes across the country. Although every parish received UGX 100 million in the year under review, the Auditor General expressed concern over the unclear processes used by 5,099 parishes in determining their priorities.
“I was not provided with evidence for the identification of 5,099 PDM parish/ward priorities in 115 local governments, using the prescribed format for submission to lower and higher local governments. Additionally, there was no evidence that the 25 participating Ministries, Departments, and Agencies aligned their work plans with the pillar implementation action plans,” the report stated.
Among the Auditor General’s recommendations, it was proposed that local governments ensure proper training for Parish Development Committees and lower local governments in prioritizing and incorporating PDM activities into budgets and work plans. Additionally, all PDCs should be fully constituted and functional.
The PDM Secretariat was urged to engage the Ministry of Finance to secure funding for office space, with an immediate need for offices and cupboards at lower local government levels to enhance operational effectiveness.
The Parish Development Model is a Government strategy or approach for organizing and delivering public and private sector interventions for wealth creation and employment generation at the parish level as the lowest economic planning unit.
The PDM has seven Pillars i.e. (1) Production, Storage, Processing and Marketing; (2) Infrastructure and Economic Services; (3) Financial Inclusion; (4) Social Services; (5) Mindset change; (6) Parish Based Management Information System and (7) Governance and Administration.
