The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Commonwealth legislators have underscored the urgent need to address the increasing rural-urban migration.
Presenting a paper during a workshop on combating rapid urbanization and rural decline on Saturday, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh in India, Hridaya Narayan Dikshit attributed the situation to government prioritization of development in cities with minimal attention to rural areas.
His argument was amplified by the Secretary General of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum, Dr. Greg Munro who noted that industrialization of cities to address unemployment had triggered mobility challenges as people travel long distances to work.
Canada’s Senator Yuen Pau Woo said there is need to address the resultant housing deficit in cities and associated environmental challenges including waste management and air pollution particularly greenhouse gas emissions arising from the concentration of economic activities in urban areas.
Rajendra Rejendra Trivedi, Speaker of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly warned about the widespread use of single-use plastics by poor cities. This, he said had led to pollution of water bodies, raising the cost of water treatment, reduced aesthetics in cities and degradation of agricultural land.
Arua Municipality MP Kassiano Wadri said reviewing the prevalent colonial education system is important adding that colonial education positioned white collar jobs as the only source of prosperity, hence young graduates immediately moving to seek employment in cities, neglecting blue and green job opportunities in rural areas.
Dr. Esther Mcheka Chilenje from Malawi challenged parliamentarians to pronounce themselves on policies that address rural development in Commonwealth Countries.
Nakaseke North MP Syda Bumba recommended that commercialization of agriculture would make it profitable and rewarding to young people especially in developing countries whose economies are agro-based.
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