BUYENDE — Minister for the Presidency and Budiope West Member of Parliament, Babirye Milly Babalanda, has urged Parish Development Model (PDM) beneficiaries in Buyende District to use government funds for productive ventures that can improve household incomes and create employment.
Babalanda made the call on Thursday while conducting a PDM assessment tour in Iringa West Parish, Nkondo Sub-county, where she met beneficiaries and local leaders to assess the implementation of the programme.
She conveyed greetings from President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports Janet Kataaha Museveni, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the President Hajji Yunus Kakande and staff of the Office of the President to residents of Budiope West.
Babalanda said PDM remains one of the Government’s flagship programmes aimed at helping households transition from subsistence production into the money economy.
She cautioned beneficiaries against diverting the funds to non-productive activities, urging them to invest in enterprises capable of generating sustainable income.
The minister specifically advised beneficiaries to avoid using PDM funds for expenses such as additional marriages, saying the money should instead be invested in ventures that can improve household welfare.
“I call on district technical staff, political leaders and PDM SACCO leaders to provide proper guidance, supervision and accountability so that our people succeed in enterprises such as agriculture, poultry and small-scale trade,” Babalanda said.
She commended Buyende District’s technical team, led by the Chief Administrative Officer, for supporting the programme and urged them to strengthen beneficiary training, record keeping and access to markets.
Babalanda said the Government’s priorities include fighting corruption and reducing poverty, adding that regular monitoring is necessary to ensure public funds achieve their intended purpose.
She said the PDM assessment tours will continue as the Government seeks to improve service delivery and support Uganda’s transition towards an upper-middle-income economy.
Babalanda also encouraged households to establish manageable backyard enterprises as part of efforts to increase household incomes.
She recommended poultry farming for egg production, particularly for Muslim and Seventh-day Adventist households, and piggery for other households, noting that such enterprises can provide relatively quick returns when properly managed.
The minister further invited residents to attend her thanksgiving ceremony scheduled for September 4 at Iringa Township Primary School, where she will give thanks for what she described as her success in this year’s political activities.
Babalanda said the Nkondo Sub-county assessment is part of a wider monitoring exercise and pledged to tour other parts of Buyende District to assess the performance of PDM and ensure that beneficiaries are using the funds for their intended purpose.
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