{UAH} Shs40b wasted on banana project in Bushenyi - MPs

Pojim,

What about starting a millet Project in Mwelo? Do you think we can access this "Presidential" Fund?

Shs40b wasted on banana project in Bushenyi - MPs

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PAC members listen to one of the officials from the Bushenyi Banana Project during the probe on Friday. PHOTO BY RAJAB MUKOMBOZI 

By  RAJAB MUKOMBOZI & PAUL ARUHO

Posted  Monday, August 26  2013 at  01:00

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BUSHENYI- Although the government has sunk billions of shillings into the Bushenyi banana project, there is little progress seen.

The venture under the Presidential Initiative on Banana Development (PBID) still hangs as has been revealed by the 2012 value for money audit report by the Auditor General.

The report raised queries about funding for the project and drawing the attention of the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) which is now probing to establish how the billions were spent and why the project has stalled.

Led by Terego County MP, also PAC chairperson, Mr Kassaino Wadri, the committee which was in Bushenyi on Friday, revealed that they were unconvinced about the projects' viability.

"The project is not viable yet a lot of money has been sunk in. Now close to 10 years there is nothing to show for the money spent and above all they are asking for more funds," Mr Wadri said.
Mr Wadri also said the project that began in 2005 was supposed to be completed in 2007 at a tune of Shs23 billion but it was said that that amount was not enough.

"As we talk now Shs40 billion has been sunk in this project and worse still in the 2013-2014 budget they were requesting for an additional Shs25 billion," Mr Wadri said.

Some of the audit queries are on Shs600 million that was supposed to be for training of farmers groups and establishing banana drying centers in the five counties of greater Bushenyi.

Some of the local leaders said there has never been such trainings and even the drying centers have never been established.

"I am a neighbour to this factory but I have never heard of farmers getting trained or seen the drying centers being established anywhere in my village," Ms Justine Bategerize, the area LC chairperson, told the committee.

Other expenses

Shs1.3 b: Amount meant for grip irrigation that has never been installed.

Shs24.4 b :Amount meant for a value addition mini plant.

Shs1.8 b :Amount meant for provision of supplementary irrigation water to farmers for hi-tech irrigation .

editorial@ug.nationmedia.com

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