DRDIP Orient Leaders from implementing districts
Presentations, experience sharing, discussions, questions and answer sessions guided the meetings.
The DRDIP Project Implementation Support Team (PIST) had a fortnight of fruitful engagement with leaders from all the 15 districts where DRDIP is implemented. The awareness meetings for leaders, took place in three regionally centered cities of; Mbarara, Gulu and Arua.
The meetings were aimed at orienting the newly elected and or appointed district based leaders on the DRDIP implementation modalities and standards as guided by the World Bank and the Government of Uganda through the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).
Participants came from the districts of; Arua, Madiokolo, Terego, Koboko, Yumbe, Adjumani, Obongi and Moyo in the West Nile Sub-Region, Kiryandongo, Hoima and Kikube in the Bunyoro sub region, Kyegegwa, Kamwenge and Isingiro in the South Western Uganda, and Lamwo in the North.
Key among the leaders who took part included; District Council Chairpersons, Resident District Commissioners and the District Internal Security Officers (DISOs). Others from the technical wing were the District Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs), the DRDIP Desk Officers (DDOs), Technical focal point persons, the district engineers and the OPM settlement commandants among others.
The engagements were driven by the following specific objectives.
- To outline and explain the Project Development Objectives and the expected results of the project to the newly elected leaders
- To introduce, define and explain the project and its implementation arrangements to the newly elected leaders
- To create awareness on the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders in ensuring the project delivers its intended objectives
- To explain the deployment modalities of the DRDIP resources, mechanisms for supervision, monitoring and Evaluation arrangements
Presentations, experience sharing, discussions, questions and answer sessions guided the meetings. Key actions arrived at are expected to improve performance of the project in terms of implementation, monitoring and evaluation to ensure that positive changes in the lives of refugees and the host communities are realized.
The leaders agreed that, DISOs, District Chairpersons and RDCs get involved in grievance handling and related implementation issues as mandated monitors of government programs. They also committed to support the Inspectorate of Government in guiding and supporting the project to ensure proper resource use and value for money. The engagement also recommended more regular stakeholder review meetings.
While addressing participants during these meetings, DRDIP project director, Dr. Robert Limlim urged the leaders to support the project through constant monitoring and supervision. Dr Limlim challenged the leaders to ensure that all cases of suspected fraud or corruption that could affect the project are reported to the Inspectorate of Government so that they are addressed accordingly.