By George Bukenya
The Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Finance Planning and Economic Development who also doubles as the Secretary to Treasury (PSST) Dr. Ramathan Ggoobi has re-affirmed to Ugandan on performance of the economy.
Speaking to Journalist at after the Development Plan Implementation (DPI) Annual Review event at Golf Course Hotel in Kampala Dr. Ggoobi said that the economy this year has performed better compared to the other subsequent year post Covid-19 era.
He cited out a steady supply of food and related items and stability in the local currency against the international currencies like the US Dollar and UK pound sterling as key drivers in this year good economic performance.
‘’This unlike the past years post Covid-19, we have registered economic progress. Uganda’s Shilling is the most stable currency in the region and we have sufficient food, this has helped our economy to perform well this year,’’ Dr. Ggoobi revealed.
While giving his remarks, he said the review is an opportunity to jointly reflect on the implementation of DPI programme and the Public Finance Management Strategy over the last 5 years and to consider changes and improvements.
He said the DPI programme under NDP IV was a very innovative idea, adding that it created a mechanism, which exclusively focused on ensuring that the NDP is implemented.
Dr.Ggoobi said some of the lessons that will help to achieve better results during implementation of NDP IV include; the need to have fewer, well-defined and measurable performance indicators with realistic targets for performance accountability.
He also said there is need to have all key stakeholders including Local Governments, in addition to setting very clear priorities fitting within the available resource envelope.
“As the theme of this annual review says, let us “leverage the NDP III lessons learnt for effective delivery of the NDP IV and the Tenfold growth strategy,” said the PSST.
Rt.Hon Anita Annet Among has said, she is willing to reform the Committees of Parliament to align with the programme approach under the National Development Plan.
Parliament is refocusing its business approach and taking a more results-oriented approach to scrutinizing and tracking of budget reporting including Ministerial Policy Statements.
The Speaker’s keynote address at the DPI programme annual review for FY 2024/25 was delivered today on her behalf by the Minister of Public Service, Hon.Muruli Mukasa at Golf Course Hotel in Kampala.
The Speaker said DPI programme should effectively execute its superintendent role, adding that this annual review should be used to find solutions to obstacles that have continued to limit the ability to deliver development goals and more impactful public services.
Among the obstacles that must be addressed, she highlighted resource constraints, slow implementation of projects, procurement challenges, project delays leading to cost overruns and youth unemployment among others.
Hon.Muruli on behalf of the Speaker also launched the DPI Programme Implementation Action Plan (PIAP) and commissioned the NDP IV monitoring and evaluation system under @OPMUganda.
The Deputy Head of Public Service,Jane Kyarisiima Mwesiga said the integrated web based system is a national performance infrastructure facility which connects planning,budgeting,implementation and reporting into one result chain.
She said the system is fully aligned to NDP IV result framework,the programme implementation action plans and fully integrated with the programme budgeting system.