Uganda: Member of Parliament (MPs) cite overlap in mandates as Agriculture Ministry builds roads

Members of Parliament are concerned about a possible overlap in government mandates after learning that the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) is using loan funds to construct access roads that they say should be done by the Ministry of Works and Transport.

The concerns were raised during a meeting of the Committee on National Economy, where officials from MAAIF briefed legislators on the performance of six loan-funded projects.

“We are saying that what if you present your needs to the Ministry of Works and Transport so that funds are channeled through their ministry to construct the access roads in farmer communities,” the Committee Chairperson, Hon. Jane Avur Pacuto said.

Pacuto inquired whether the ministry has enough engineers to undertake roadworks under the National Oil Seeds Project and the National Oil Palm Project.

Rushenyi County MP, Hon. Naome Kabasharira acknowledged that the roads had improved access to markets in her constituency but said district councilors do complain that the roads selected for improvement do not always reflect community priorities.

The scrutiny extended to postgraduate sponsorships where MPs questioned the use of loan funds for graduate studies.

MAAIF’s report showed that the US$129 million National Oil Seeds Project had sponsored five doctoral and 10 master’s students while the US$75.8 million National Oil Palm Project had supported 28 post-doctoral and 43 master’s students.

Members expressed concern that the ministry’s report fell short of showing what the loans had delivered for citizens and tasked MAAIF to demonstrate the value for money.

“We wanted the value for money of these loans, the actual performance and not simply information. We are asking that what are Ugandans gaining from these loans?” Kabasharira added.

Bbaale County MP, Hon. Charles Tebandeke asked for a list of project beneficiaries and how districts and communities selected.

The Permanent Secretary, Maj. Gen. (Rtd) David Kasura-Kyomukama reiterated that they have adequate and qualified engineers to do the work adding that the roads under MAAIF’s docket fall outside the national and district road networks. 

“These are small roads that engineers call road chokes that are often repaired by residents. If you wait for the Works Ministry to do such works, the projects will stall,” Kasura-Kyomukama said.

He added that scholarships aim to bridge critical gaps in research and innovation noting that some of the latest products like the anti-tick vaccines were developed by recipients of the scholarships.

On the selection of beneficiaries Kasura-Kyomukama said the ministry uses scientific data to determine where particular crops can thrive.
“We use science to determine what grows where; for example, palm oil requires 200 clear days of rain per year so you cannot take it to Karamoja,” he said.

The committee will at a later date, review the other three projects which include the US$57 million Agriculture Value Chain Development Project I, the Euro €192.9 million Enhancing Agricultural Production, Quality and Standards project backed by UK Export Finance and the US$190.81 million Resilient Livestock Value Chain Project funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.