Africa-Press – Uganda. The management of the National Agricultural Research Organization (Naro) has asked the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Thomas Tayebwa, to persuade Parliament to okay the entity’s Shs300 billion request to allow them boost Uganda’s food security.
In Naro’s message delivered to Mr Tayebwa minutes after he inspected works and research projects at Naro facility in Busukuma, Wakiso District, Naro top management stated that the Shs300 billion request is just a portion of the Shs500 billion that they would require annually.
The Deputy Director General of Research Coordination at Naro, Mr Swidiq Mugerwa, said if okayed, the money would enable the facility’s scientists maximally utilise the vast technologies and innovations at the organisation to eradicate food scarcity in the country.
“We are requesting Shs300 billion as the modest funding, otherwise we would have operated optimally at around Shs500 billion. That is the prayer I am presenting to you,” Mr Mugerwa requested of Mr Tayebwa who was in the company area legislators.
Mr Tayebwa recommended that Naro focuses on commercialising the outcomes of the innovations and technologies developed at the facility.
He also advised the organisation to attach a detailed breakdown of how the Shs300 billion would be spent on to inform Parliament’s decision on the same.
“The next proposal you bring should focus on commercialisation because you have done a lot of research but it is lying in the laboratory,” Mr Tayebwa said.
He added: “We are giving you taxpayers’ money, I want people in Karamoja to understand why I am giving Naro this kind of money.”
Mr Tayebwa’s stop over at Naro yesterday was the third onsite inspection on some of the key projects for which taxpayers’ money was okayed by Parliament for development and or absorption.
On Tuesday morning, Mr Tayebwa visited the Katonga Bridge on Kampala-Masaka Highway and later checked on the progress of the Mpigi-Busega Expressway, whose works were found to be at only 30 percent.
As a result, government resolved that the Chinese firm contracted to undertake the works would be allowed another 48 months to complete the project.
In the same way, on Wednesday, Mr Tayebwa visited Katosi Water Plant in Mukono District to verify how the money was spent in erection of the facility meant to boost water supply within the entire Kampala Metropolitan area.
In all the said spot-check visits, Mr Tayebwa has insisted that Parliament will not advance budget requests of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) whose performance is found lacking.
The inspections come as a follow-up of the pledge he made last week as he adjourned the House to November 15.
He pledged that he would support efforts of oversight and push for accountability of resources previously okayed by Parliament to various MDAs.
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