By Alfred Opio
Pallisa District Local Government has unveiled a proposed Shs48.7 billion draft budget for the forthcoming financial year, with salaries taking the largest share of the allocation, even as stakeholders raised concerns over funding gaps in critical sectors such as education and agriculture.
The proposed estimates were presented during the district’s annual budget conference, which convened political leaders, heads of departments, civil society representatives and other stakeholders to review and harmonise financial priorities before the final budget is tabled before the district council.
Presenting the figures, District Revenue Officer Joseph Akol disclosed that the district projects a total budget of Shs48,766,729,969.
According to Akol, Shs30.3 billion has been earmarked for salaries, Shs14.9 billion for non-wage recurrent expenditures, while Shs2.5 billion will go toward development projects.
He explained that the draft budget followed extensive consultations across departments to ensure that key priorities were captured.
“This planned budget was finally brought out after thorough consultations with different departments. I urge all heads of departments to embrace it and avoid any form of sabotage during implementation,” Akol said.
However, the presentation sparked debate among stakeholders, with some questioning the absence of clear allocations for essential service sectors.
Jackson Okiring, Chairperson of the District Public Accounts Committee, criticized what he described as insufficient attention to education.
“Education is very crucial. Every official serving today passed through school, yet academia appears to have been ignored,” Okiring said.
He cited persistent challenges facing schools across the district, including understaffing, inadequate classroom space and limited teachers’ accommodation, which he warned continue to undermine learning outcomes.
Concerns were also raised about the agricultural and livestock sector. District Veterinary Officer Roem Otodo noted that no specific funding had been allocated to the veterinary department despite agriculture being the backbone of the district’s economy.
“Agriculture and livestock farming are the backbone of this district. Most of our people depend on it,” Otodo said, adding that shortages of insecticides and veterinary drugs could hamper livestock productivity and threaten household incomes.
Meanwhile, John Julius Okaki, the councilor for Akisim Sub-county, questioned the effectiveness of previous budgets, alleging poor accountability and misuse of funds.
“Although the planned budget has always been implemented, it has often been misused. When you look at our roads, health facilities and other sectors, their poor condition does not reflect the money that has been sent,” Okaki said.
In response, District Planner Robert Mukeso assured participants that all concerns raised during the conference had been documented and would be reviewed before the final draft is submitted to the council.
He said the district leadership remains committed to transparency and accountability, adding that the final budget would reflect the priorities and needs of the people.
The revised draft budget is expected to be tabled before the district council in the coming weeks for further scrutiny and approval.
