• Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Donate
  • Login
Watchdog Uganda
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
Watchdog Uganda
No Result
View All Result

Minister Kasaija on spot for diverting Environmental Fund

Watchdog Uganda by Watchdog Uganda
3 years ago
in National, News
2 0
Finance Minister Matia Kasaija

Finance Minister Matia Kasaija

ShareTweetSendShare

Members of Parliament on the Natural Resources Committee have criticised the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Matia Kasaija, for diverting the Environmental Fund from National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) to the Consolidated Fund, saying this has crippled NEMA’s operations.

MPs said the fund was lawfully established to assist NEMA restore the environment and manage climate change related matters. They expressed disappointed saying NEMA has no say on the utilisation of funds.

“The law is very clear that the levy is meant to address environmental concerns but the ministry has turned it into a source of revenue for the whole country in disregard of the law of the environment,” said the committee chairperson, Emmanuel Otaala.

Busiki County MP, Paul Akamba, said many environmental restoration activities are on hold due to budgetary constraints and proposed that government remits a percentage of the revenue to NEMA.

“The fund is supposed to facilitate activities of NEMA; at least, give them 20 per cent of the levy to spend on restoration of environment. Look at the national tree planting campaign, we said we shall be planting 40 million trees every year but it is now a song because there is no money,” said Akamba.

The committee summoned Kasaija to consider funding areas within the Environment and Energy sectors that the committee deemed critical.

NEMA in its presentation revealed that it collected Shs267 billion from the Environmental Levy in the 2021/2022 financial year.

Legislators wondered why government is ‘punishing’ NEMA by allocating it only Shs15 billion for the 2022/2023 financial year for salaries, wages and gratuity.

“If NEMA collects all that money, why don’t you allow them to use the money and they give the excess to government?” asked Bukimbiri County MP, Eddie Kwizera.

Mukono South MP, Fred Kayondo criticized government for leaving the authority with skeleton staff and meagre facilities to monitor environment matters in the entire country.

“Imagine NEMA has 36 cars and 26 of them are down; it has 126 staff against 136 districts. We are going to construct a refinery and pipeline and we expect NEMA to be on ground 24 hours with 36 cars and y 126 staff?” asked Kayondo.

MPs want government to take back the fund to NEMA to be able to set up regional offices and facilitate district environment officers.

“It is the feeling of this committee that you allow NEMA have offices in the districts; you cannot monitor the environment from Jinja road at the headquarters,” Kwizera added.

Kasaija said he will have to consult other stake holders on the MPs’ proposal to take back the fund to NEMA. He explained that the reason the fund was managed centrally was to regulate the possibility of misuse of funds, citing experience with other funds.

“There are many agencies that have funds but some did not run them well; they would collect money and waste it. We agreed as government that all money collected should go to the Consolidated Fund,” he said.


Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
ShareTweetSendShare

Related Posts

Chancellor of Jinja Diocese and Bishop’s Secretary, Fr. Gerald Mutto
News

Preparations for St. Gonzaga Gonza Day celebrations complete 

4th July 2025 at 17:54
News

New business lounge commissioned at Entebbe International Airport

4th July 2025 at 16:40
News

Jinja Hospital Boss Dr. Yayi Calls for Improved Maternal and Child Health Services To Curb Birth Asphyxia

4th July 2025 at 16:36
Next Post
Ambassador Dickson Ogwang Okul

Ambassador Ogwang to be enthroned Lango clan head

  • Prostitution in Uganda- Courtesy Photo

    10 dangerous hotspots known for prostitutes in Kampala

    1109 shares
    Share 444 Tweet 277
  • LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

    2285 shares
    Share 914 Tweet 571
  • Silent Billionaire Bosco Muwonge Buys Mukwano Arcade at UGX 250 Billion Cash Down

    26 shares
    Share 10 Tweet 7
  • Uganda’s Billionaires 2025: Once Again Sudhir Ruparelia Leads a Resilient Pack

    43 shares
    Share 17 Tweet 11
  • LIST : Gov’t releases Revised Salary Structure for Teachers, Police, and Prisons Staff for FY 2024/2025

    119 shares
    Share 48 Tweet 30
Facebook Twitter

Contact Information

Watchdog Uganda is a portal for solution journalism, trending news plus cutting edge commentaries in the fields of politics, security, business, tourism, entertainment, technology, agriculture, climate change, environment, public health et al. We also give preference to Ugandan community news and topical discussions. The portal also publishes community news and topical discussions.

Email: editorial@watchdoguganda.com
To Advertise:Click here

Latest News

Hon. Raphael Magyezi

Yara East Africa and Asili Agriculture Launch Agri-Hub in Kiryandongo to Advance Farmer Knowledge and Food Security in Uganda

4th July 2025 at 19:06
Chancellor of Jinja Diocese and Bishop’s Secretary, Fr. Gerald Mutto

Preparations for St. Gonzaga Gonza Day celebrations complete 

4th July 2025 at 17:54

Check out

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Minister Muruli Mukasa

LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

24th May 2020 at 10:45
Pregnant woman

Shock as 17-year old boy impregnates his two sisters during Covid-19 lockdown 

17th June 2020 at 08:17
Sudhir Ruparelia is set to speak at business forum in United Kingdom

Billionaire Sudhir’s wisdom on how to invest in real estate

0

How a boy’s destiny turned from cotton grower to communications guru

0
Hon. Raphael Magyezi

Yara East Africa and Asili Agriculture Launch Agri-Hub in Kiryandongo to Advance Farmer Knowledge and Food Security in Uganda

4th July 2025 at 19:06
Chancellor of Jinja Diocese and Bishop’s Secretary, Fr. Gerald Mutto

Preparations for St. Gonzaga Gonza Day celebrations complete 

4th July 2025 at 17:54

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda