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Gulu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Gulu District Local Government has approved a 39.2 billion Shillings’ budget for the 2020/2021 Financial Year. The budget recorded a shortfall of 2.3 billion from the 42.3 billion Shillings passed in the ending financial year.
The District is expected to raise 23.9 billion Shillings (60 per cent) of the proposed revenue from Conditional Government Transfers; 9 billion (23 per cent) from Other Government Transfers and 4 billion (10 per cent) from Discretionary Government Transfers. The other portion is expected to come from donations and Non-Government Organizations.
Gulu District Vice Chairperson Simon Peter Oola, who also serves as the Secretary for Finance, presented the draft budget to the Council in a sitting held at the District Council Hall on Friday.
According to the budget, up to 15 billion Shillings (37.6 per cent) was allocated to Education and Sports sector while Production and Marketing received the second largest allocation of 8 billion representing (20.2 per cent).
Justine Obol, the Chairman Production, Works and Technical Services lauded the proposed expenditure allocation to education to improve performance in schools as Aswa County gears up for a District status as soon as Gulu is pronounced a city.
Obol also applauded allocations to Production and Marketing which emerged a second priority area because of the impact of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) on the livelihood of local community.
Meanwhile, Administration and Health sectors bagged 7.9 billion Shillings and 4.2 billion Shillings respectively. Roads and engineering received one billion Shillings, Council and Statutory Bodies got 805 million Shillings, finance 785 million, Water 516 million and Natural Resource got 230 million.
The Council also appropriated 721 for Community Based Services, 333 million for Planning Unit, 138 for Trade Industry and Local Development whereas Internal Audit Department got least allocation of 93 million Shillings.
Section 13(3) of Public Finance Management Act 2015 and The Local Governments Act 2015 (Amended) require the Draft Budget Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure of the Council for the ensuing year, to be laid before April 1, every. But compliance to the statutory requirements was challenged by the outbreak of Coronavirus disease.
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