Stakeholders say there is need for the government to improve funding for district trade.
By Ismail Musa Ladu
Trade at district level is likely to suffer if the welfare and budget of the trade and commercial officers is not boosted.
During a meeting between civil societies and other stakeholders last week, participants said the trade at such levels would have yielded better results if the government facilitated it better.
“I think I am slightly well facilitated, but it is true that in many districts, commercial officers cannot do their work because they do not have money to execute their plans,” Mr Musuuza Patrick, the Bukomansimbi District commercial officer, said last week.
At the meeting organised by Seatini, a trade and development leaning civil society body, district commercial officers said they are incapacitated due to inadequate facilitation from the line ministry — Trade, Industry and Cooperative.
Most of them, according to information gathered from the meeting get between Shs200,000 and Shs600,000 for an entire financial year yet they submit budgets ranging from between Shs5 million to Shs10 million.
“There is a feeling that trade is not important, and that is why district commercial officers are not well facilitated. Yet all the big economies have developed because they prioritise trade and investment,” said Ms Jane Nalunga, the Seatini country director,.
Ms Agnes Kirabo, the National Coordinator Food Rights Alliance, said in a recommendation that the line ministry should review (upwards) funding of district commercial officers.
She said many other recommendations including the revision of the district commercial officers’ job descriptions should be reviewed in order to solve challenges of job security.
Mr Francis Kuluo, in charge of external trade, at the ministry trade, said the government is aware of such challenges in relation to district commercial officers, however, he added the ministry is consulting on policies and other forms of regulation to resolve the matter.
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