The new funding prioritizes agricultural development with an allocation of Shillings 370 million, while agricultural extension services received Shillings 223 million. The water and environment sector was allocated Shillings 40.9 million.
Gulu District local
government has received a supplementary budget allocation of Shillings 2.94
billion. This brings to Shillings 32 billion, the total budget for the
2023/2024 financial year. The LC V Chairperson, Christopher Opiyo Ateker,
announced the release of the funds by the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and
Economic Development.
The District Council is yet to approve the
expenditures for sectoral allocations in key priority areas such as health,
education, water and environment, agriculture, and community development. The
new funding prioritizes agricultural development with an allocation of Shillings
370 million, while agricultural extension services received Shillings 223
million. The water and environment sector was allocated Shillings 40.9 million.
Agriculture development cluster projects
received Shillings 15 million, and the education department was allocated
Shillings 17.7 million. Pension and gratuity received the highest allocation of
Shillings 1.6 billion, with Shillings 568 million for ex gratia and honoraria. The
District had previously presented its budget shortfall to the Parliamentary
Committee on Public Services and Local Government, which made the decision for
the supplementary budget.
//Cue
in: “When we met…
Cue out…and eighty-two Shillings,”//
The Chairperson of the Committee of Social
Services, Kenneth Okello, expressed concern about resource constraints,
highlighting that the District struggles to provide services in health
facilities, education, and community development, with demands for services
partially met.
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in: “There has always…
Cue out…in Gulu District,”//
On May 31st, the Gulu district council approved a
budget of Shillings 29 billion for the 2023/2024 financial year, with the
education department receiving the largest allocation of Shillings 13.3 billion.
The health department was allocated Shillings 5.7 billion, and the
administration received Shillings 3 billion.
The grant support from
the central government was projected at Shillings 20 billion, accounting for 70
percent of the budget, while Shillings 4.3 billion came from discretionary
releases and Shillings 1.9 billion from donations. Another Shilling 1.5
billion was projected from other government transfers and other funding from
locally raised revenues.
Simon Wokorach
Freelancer