Government to Establish Special Fund for Fishermen

Buliisa – The government will establish a special fund to support fishermen, aimed at improving their livelihoods and easing the financial burden of acquiring essential fishing equipment.

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni made this announcement during a visit to Mr Titus Tumusiime’s farm in Sironko village, Nyamukutu parish, Butiaba Sub-county, Buliisa district. Mr Tumusiime is a beneficiary of the Parish Development Model (PDM) programme.

While assessing the performance of PDM in the Bunyoro Sub-region, the President acknowledged that the existing funds under the initiative are insufficient for fishermen, given the high cost of boats, nets, and other fishing gear.

“The fishermen’s tools, such as boats and fishing nets, are expensive. The PDM money isn’t enough for them to purchase these tools. And so, we shall create another fund to support them,” President Museveni stated.

He further announced that in May 2024, the government will convene a meeting with fishing community leaders to discuss the details of the fund and other key issues affecting fishermen.

President Supports Model Farmer

During his visit, the President praised Mr Tumusiime for his successful farming efforts and supported his expansion by donating Shs10 million to purchase a tuk-tuk for transporting pig feed and Shs25 million for buying a grinder.

Mr Tumusiime, who received Shs997,000 from PDM in November 2023, shared how he invested the funds into pig farming.

“I bought six pigs at Shs120,000 each, spent Shs120,000 on feed, Shs70,000 to build a fence, Shs40,000 on drugs, and Shs40,000 on transportation,” he said.

His investment quickly yielded results. Two of his female pigs produced 26 piglets, while three more produced 22 piglets, giving him 48 piglets in total.

“I sold the first 26 piglets at Shs100,000 each, earning Shs2.6 million, and the other 22 piglets at Shs80,000, earning Shs1.7 million. In total, I made Shs4.3 million,” Tumusiime explained.

Lake Albert and Bugungu Kingship Issues

Addressing lake management concerns, President Museveni urged local leaders to take an active role in resolving Lake Albert issues and pledged to organise a stakeholders’ meeting in May to find solutions.

On the Bugungu Kingship (Butebengwa) issue, the President reassured the community that he had no objection to its establishment and promised to arrange a meeting between Butebengwa leaders and the Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom to resolve any differences.

“The approval process is complete, and the proposal has already been submitted to the Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development for gazettement,” he noted.

Praise for Government’s Development Initiatives

Hon. Allan Atugonza, MP for Buliisa County, commended the President for his commitment to poverty alleviation programs like PDM, which he said had significantly improved livelihoods.

The visit was attended by government ministers, Members of Parliament, and other local leaders, who lauded the continued efforts to empower communities through targeted economic programmes.