Bushenyi district is set to return or loose sh.3bn to the central government after failing to utilize it and support tea growing in the district.
Some locals blame the mess to the sector head one Gordon who maybe with other leaders and managers could not prepare the people to receive the tea seedlings whose monies are sent through NAADS secretariat.
It is also said that the seedlings worth sh3Bn could not be made by the tea seedlings farmers.
And the Chief Administrative officer Willy Batarigaya admits that they could not catch up with the deadline and cannot sanction payment of tea seedlings not delivered to the local farmers.
CAO reacts
“We supplied tea seedlings to the farmers with ready gardens as per the guidelines. For those whose gardens were not ready within the period given,the District Council resolved that we write to NAADS to request for an extension, which we did. Still waiting for a feedback”
“I don’t think this is true. There were other underlying issues.I suggest that you also talk to the DPO for his side of the story” Batarigaya said.
He adds “ You may also need to note that some of the nursery beds from where the tea seedlings were to be sourced as per list provided were found not on ground or already emptied. Would you recommend payment for that just for the sake of being seen to have supplied? There is more than what meets the eye in those allegations. The DPO is in office. I still suggest you approach him for details.
But besides this they ustilised some Billions of money to tea only that our concern is that they should have scooped it all.
Bushenyi is a tea giant district in western Uganda coming second after Fort portal with huge tea farms/gardens and boost of five tea factories. The tea which is to be produced can be consumed by these factories and others in the neirboring districts such as Buhweju.
Buhweju is currently battling accountability of sh40Bn tea seedlings project donated to them by President Museveni. The project started last year and accountability has not been sent to the NAADS secretariat in Kampala leaving tea farmers there yeaning for more tea seedlings.
Our reporter failed to reach Gordon and Jafali Basajabalaba the district boss for comments. But some farmers said they still have vast land that can take on tea farming and fight poverty.
