Africa-Press – Uganda. The State Minister for Finance in charge general duties, Mr Henry Musasizi has asked religious and local leaders to mobilise Ugandans in their respective communities to embrace government programmes on poverty eradication as a way of driving them into the cash economy.
“Now that the government is committed to fund the parish development model with Shs100 million per year per parish in Uganda and Shs100 billion for emyooga every year, I appeal to the religious and local leaders to mobilize Ugandans to tap into these programmes that are aimed at driving 39 percent of Ugandans living in subsistence economies to cash economy,” Mr Musasizi said on Sunday during the Bishop’s Annual Appeal Fund (BAAF), a ceremony that was held at Immaculate Heart of Mary Rubanda parish headquarters in Rubanda District aimed at raising Shs3 billion required for starting St Ignatius University, a private university to be owned by Kabale Diocese.
At least Shs178 million was raised in cash and pledges of which Mr Musasizi contributed Shs20 million cash and delivered a pledge of Shs20 million from the Speaker of Parliament, Ms Anita Among.
The Rubanda district Woman Member of Parliament, Ms Prossy Mbabazi Akampurira who doubles as the commissioner of Parliament contributed Shs6 million for the same cause and appealed to the religious and local leaders in the district to support her recently launched village bank project for women in which she has injected in Shs700 million aimed at financial empowerment for women that will help them access quality seeds and improved farming practices for modern farming.
“While we are grateful to President Museveni for the establishment of poverty eradication programmes in Uganda, especially the parish development model where women have been allocated 30 percent, I felt that establishing a special fund for women at village level will stir up economic development in our district. Under this project, each woman is expected to save Shs5,000 per month and in case there are 100 women in a village group, this will generate Shs2.88 billion per year, the fact that we have 480 villages in Rubanda District. This fund will help the women tap into commercial farming for better profits,” Ms Akampurira said.
The Bishop of Kabale diocese, Rt Rev Callist Rubaramira who was the main celebrant appealed to the Christians in his diocese to support the university project so that it can save their children from trekking long distances in search of university education.
“Kabale diocese has offered land and infrastructure at the former Rushoroza boys primary school in Kabale town where St Ignatius University is being established, We have also donated a 10 acre piece of land next to Kitumba sub county to accommodate the faculty of skills development, where skills of intensive farming will be imparted onto the learners to influence development,” Bishop Rubaramira said.
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