DRDIP PIST Engage Districts as IPs Resume Implementation

IG Official addresses stakeholders during a meeting in Adjumani 

DRDIP Project Implementation Support Team(PIST) conducted district-level engagement with key stakeholders (August, 22 to 26) in 15 districts of coverage as the initial critical step towards the resumption of work by Implementing Partners (IPs) following a recent lifting of their(IPs) suspension by the Inspectorate of Government (IG).

The IPs who support activities under component II (Sustainable Environment and Natural Resource Management) of DRDIP were put on hold since December last year due to identified shortfalls in the expected standards and delivery of their services .

Under the DRDIP implementation arrangement, the IG is charged with monitoring to ensure; value for money, accountability, transparency, and maximum stakeholder participation by the project implementers at all levels. 

In a communication dated December 23, 2021, the IG in demonstrating their role, ordered the suspension of all IPs pending an establishment of satisfactory implementation modalities and participation of all stakeholders.

As a result, most activities undertaken by the IPs stalled and the unpredictable weather conditions further worsened the situation as most trees in the various woodlots withered, while others were destroyed by ants and wild animals due to human negligence.

To address the issues pertaining to the suspension, the PIST worked together with the IGG and came up with proposed actions on how to address the gaps. The actions include; national, district and community level engagement meetings.

The district engagements were attended by key stakeholders including; Resident District Commissioners (RDCs), District Council leadership, Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs), District Police Commander(DPCs), District Internal Security Officers (DISOs), District sector heads, DRDIP components focal points and all the IPs in respective districts.

While presenting a matrix of key thematic areas of attention to be followed, the DRDIP M&E Specialist, Herbert Akampwera, said stakeholders should have the designs and specifications of the various sub projects being undertaken so that they can monitor implementations from an informed perspective.

“Let us have all the funded projects displayed on the noticeboards and stakeholders including IGG should also get a copy of the funded projects. All procurements should be done in a transparent way so that stakeholders know what they are procuring. Technical persons have to visit the sites and give certificates to ensure value for money” Akampwera, said.  “Use DRDIP as a springboard to bring sustainable development to Hoima District” he added while in the Bunyoro sub region.

DRDIP project implementation is guided by the Project Appraisal Document (PAD) and engagement of IPs are provided for in the PAD under pages 66-77 and 68 in the implementation of component two, Sustainable Environment and Natural Resources management (SENRM) and component three, -Livelihood Support Program (LSP).

To-date the project has supported districts to identify and engage 21 IPs to support community sub project activities in component two on environment and fragile ecosystems restorations and efficient energy for clean cooking and efficient lighting for households and institutions in all 15 beneficiary districts.

In Obongi district, the CAO, Andrew Leru expressed optimism that the engagement will help find the best, most consistent way of working collaboratively with the partners. “Let’s forget about the challenges of the past and stick together to make this Project a success for the people of Obongi”, he said.

In Hoima, the CAO, Erias Byamungu, cautioned the IPs and other stakeholders implementing DRDIP to desist from corruption and conspiracy tendencies, but focus on the successful implementation of the project.  Byamungu said, “corruption tendencies must stop, if we are to see DRDIP project going forward. This calls for progressive monitoring, not just once, but all the way to the end and completion of the Project.  practical completion,”.

DRDIP livelihoods support unit head Peter James Malinga who gave a snapshot of the project implementation progress for the meetings in; Obongi, Adjumani, Moyo, Lamwo and Kiryandongo captured key components, allocations and the Community Driven Development (CDD) approach. Malinga refreshed the stakeholders on the project institutional arrangements, and highlights of funded projects using both the initial ($ 50 million) and additional 50 million150million) from the World Bank. He shared the implementation status for all sectors and outlined the key project stakeholders and their roles. 

The team further shared agreed actions as guided by the IG which also implements the STAAC (Strengthening Transparency, Accountability and Anticorruption) component of DRDIP.

Some of the key actions from these meetings included; strengthening coordination, revamping communications aspects of the project through radio programs and sharing of success stories to various stakeholders, integrating mindset activities to change attitudes and to build ownership and sustainability. Others included the call for more orientation of newly deployed leaders, as well as joint monitoring with IPs, OPM, IG and the district.

DRDIP seeks a paradigm shift in the way forced displacement is addressed in Uganda; first as a developmental challenge due to covariant shocks from forced displacements. Secondly, as a government-led development response, and thirdly as a long term action to systematic and structural constraints that impede development in refugee hosting areas. The project addresses the social economic, and environmental impacts of protracted refugee presence in the host communities and refugee settlements through interlinked-investment components.