Nakaseke has reinstated the welfare allowances for councilors amidst tough conditions as the district grapples with a narrowing tax base.
According to 2012/13 budget estimates presented by the district vice chairperson and secretary for finance, Richard Mavuma on Thursday, Nakaseke projects to collect over 369 million shillings in local revenue out of 16 billion shillings it expects to get in a year. The local revenue collection will remain the same as that in the 2011/2012 financial year. The council activities will take 54 million shillings, while the rest of the local revenue will be used for district administration and erecting of new slaughter slabs.
Mavuma said that the district has also reinstated the welfare fund amounting to five million shillings to cater for lunch and refreshments that were scrapped off the budget last year due to low revenue base.
Mavuma explained that the district discovered that absence of the welfare allowance for the councilors had increased absenteeism. Mavuma added that the sources for local revenue have not widened due to lack of growth in taxable activities and this has forced the district to suspend construction of staff houses among other ventures.
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The councilors unanimously supported the funds and authorized the district to immediately start spending it in committees as they scrutinize the budget for final approval.
Kikamulo Cub County councilor Kassolo Ssajabi said that absence of lunch in council had led to late-coming and absenteeism.
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But some residents have criticised the move to re-instate the councilors’ allowances.
Sunday Ssebuyungo from Kikamulo Sub County says that the move will plunge the district into a financial crisis. Ssebuyungo explains that the district council was supposed to widen tax bases through introducing loan schemes where residents can borrow and create taxable projects.
He adds that councilors and technical staff get other allowances they can use and the district should reduce its expenditure.
Daniel Mukasa from Nakaseke Sub County says that more than 50 people in the area are homeless and helpless after rainstorm devastated their homes and gardens but the district didn’t allocate money to help them.
He vowed to mobilize the affected people and camp at the district until get help.
