The finance ministry has released sh15b for fighting against locusts, which are feared to be approaching Uganda through the western part of Kenya.
This was revealed by the Secretary to the Treasury, Keith Muhakanizi while interacting with Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
Contingency fund
The committee members had tasked Muhakanizi with explaining whether there was money in the contingency fund for emergencies, to respond to emergencies such as locusts and the coronavirus.
Muhakanizi explained that they would be able to avail more funds if the need arose after the spending agencies have exhausted what they have released.
“Our experience is that if you release a lot of money, it can be misused. If the account, we shall give them more money,” Muhakanizi stated.
The accountant general, Lawrence Ssemakula revealed that a total of sh62b was put in the contingency fund in the 2019/2020 budget to mainly cater for emergencies.
According to the State Minister for Agriculture, Aggrey Bagiire, desert locusts are swarming through Kenya, after wreaking havoc in neighboring Somalia and Ethiopia, posing food insecurity.
The locusts are now swarming towards the northeastern part of Uganda (Karamoja) and South Sudan.
The ministry has alerted all the districts in Karamoja and the entire eastern region to be on the lookout and report to the nearest extension staff in case of any sign of locusts in their areas.