The National Planning Authority is tasked to explain the uneven distribution of resources across the country. On Tuesday, a team of officials from the National Planning Authority led by State Minister for Planning David Bahati and the Deputy Chairman Abel Rwendeire appeared before the Finance committee to defend the authority’s 2015/2016 budget, totaling about 16 billion Shillings.
While the authority’s Executive Director, Joseph Muvawala had earlier presented the budget, outlining NPA’s urgent need for recruitment of key staff to beef up its human resource, some legislators expressed bitterness over government’s failure to plan equitably for all regions. Nandala Mafabi, the Budadiri West MP said though government prides itself in pushing for improved infrastructural development across the country, it has failed to extend the services to some regions. Geoffrey Ekanya, the Tororo County MP noted that the poverty levels in Northern and Eastern Uganda have skyrocketed over the years due to reluctance by government to invest heavily in these areas.