Bukedea district in Teso sub-region of Eastern Uganda has risen from being one of the poorest performing districts in recent years to become the best performing in the soon to end financial year 2018/19.
The 2018/19 Local Government Performance Assessment report that was released by the Office of the Prime Minister this week shows that Bukeddea scored 82 percent in use of government funds in the financial year 2018/19 compared to 31 percent that she scored in financial year 2017/2018.
Bukedea achieved the steady progress with a remarkable jump of 51 points from 31 percent in 2017/18 to 82 Percent in 2018/19.
The assessment was conducted by the Office of the Prime Minister in 144 local governments 121 districts and 23 municipalities between September and December 2018.
The report also indicates that an overall improvement in performance of local government units in the utilisation of funds from 56% in 2017/18 to 65 Percent in 2018/19, an increment of nine percent.
During the official launch of the report in Kampala on this week, Mayanja Gonzaga the Acting Commissioner in the Ministry of Local government said that the study was carried out to assess mainly the timely submission of quarterly and annual reports by local governments.
“We assessed them basing on timely submission of annual performance contracts, procurement plans, quarterly budget performance reports, annual budget reports and audit reports,” he said.
Mayanja added that in order to strengthen the proper functioning of local government processes and systems, focus was extended to assessing the performance of Education, Health and Water sectors.
“We assessed the planning, budgeting and execution, human resource, revenue mobilization, procurement and contract plan, social environmental safeguards, monitoring and inspection and overall financial management,” he added.
During the launch, Ben Kumumanya, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local governments said that Bukedea was among the worst performing districts but his Ministry revised ways of improving their performance which not only helped one district but almost the whole Teso sub region.
“We developed a framework and approach for providing targeted performance improvement support to the lowest performing local Governments” he said.
He added that, “we tested the frame work during the development of performance improvement plans for 2018/19 in five local governments in Teso sub region, namely; Bukeddea, Ngora, Soroti, Katakwi and Kumi districts”.
Adjumani was ranked second with 82 percent, Kumi district in the third with 81 percent Buliisa, Kotido municipal council and Rubanda district were ranked as the poorest performing districts with only 39 percent, 36 percent and 36 Percent in 142 th, 143 th and144th positions respectively.
Challenges in attracting and retaining staff in critical positions, weakness in dissemination of policies to the local governments and weakness in supervision and monitoring were noted as the major hindrance of proper performance in worst performing districts and municipalities.
