OPEN LETTER TO YOU

At this moment, I am sitting in a small bar cashing in shillings. To make it clear for those who can’t understand me, I am at home. I hail from Ruhaama, the constituency of first lady Janet Kataaha Museveni in Ntungamo district.

Last semester was dominated subtle situations though I managed to achieve unexpected triumph. From financial to mental and social hurdle, I wish to express gratitude for your support friends.

Asiimwe Dickens, you came close to becoming my financial father even when we are all students. You responded to all my financial call since mid April until Saturday when I departed. You have never called me or text me for refund. Many thanks and may almighty God reward you abundantly.

Ssali Godfrey, I would stupid enough if I don’t recognise you’re financial support not only for this semester but since we joined Makerere University two years ago.

Ariyo Stephen and Beetina Joseph you also became an integral part of my life as I walked through a thorny semester.

Azarwe Simon, Elias Beinomugisha, Brian Atukwase, Bwengye Elia and all you who I can’t remember right now, I extend my heartfelt thanks to you. Nurturing me into a right thinking member of society has not been a just walk over.

Davidson Ndyabahika and your room-mate Bwesigye Ahabu, I can’t forget your financial and academic support.

I can’t foresee the future but I am optimistic, you will respond positively to more calls and I also hope do so. Frankly, you have taught me the virtue of assistance and how vital it is. As Barrack Obama says together we can.  

Had it not been your support, my last semester dreams would be shattered now. To exemplify this, think about your support; further think about a situation that you repudiated my calls. Where would I be???

 Karoli Ssemogere and Julius Mucunguzi, thanks for inspiring me to swot up targeting something big. Step by step, I hope to succeed.

Finally, to you my social network friends, I treasure your role toward my intellectual development. I always find myself interacting with intellectuals. It is because of you that I think and reason like a learned friend. I am anticipating learning more from you.

Thank you all and may GOD BLESS YOU

NAADS REBIRTH IS AROUND THE CORNER; WILL IT BE OF USE TO THE WANANCHI?

In the state of the nation address, president Museveni promised that government is fully committed to restructure National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) in the coming financial year. He clarified that NAADS which has been given huge resources to execute its activities, spends most of the shs 203 billion we each year on salaries and seminars, they only spend shs 57 billion on buying materials for plantation and breeding.

Recently, not once, president Museveni praised veteran UPDF officers for demonstrating exceptional delivery of services to intended beneficiaries centrally to fleecing practice of NAADS officer. With just 5 billion shillings, UPDF have delivered more than what NAADS offices distributed to wananchi. Now everyone has cognised the chanted corruption and embezzlement that brought programme to its knees.

The struggle continues. 13 years later, NAADS is still far behind its objective which was to assist poor male and female farmers to become aware of and be able to adapt to improved technology and management practices in their farming enterprises so as to enhance their productive efficiency, their economic welfare and the sustainability of farming operations.

Travel to the country side, you can only glimpse at NAADS demonstration farm posters. If you make a stopover to have a stare at a farm, alas, it will be nowhere. If you enquire, responses will be in spiritual tongues-long and unclear. And a clever chap must easily understand that such a demonstration farm no longer exists.

We must thank our industrious president for tirelessly touring ghost NAADS projects. Let me specify here; when Museveni accompanied by first lady toured our parish, they inspected fish ponds belonging to a local ‘Mzee’ and these ponds have never been liaised to NAADS.

Government is about to rock door of the second NAADS phase (July 2010-June 2015), under the Agricultural Technology and Agribusiness Advisory Services (ATAAS) project. Its estimated cost at least $450 million. Agricultural research and research extension is the main target of this segment. It will be thwarting if government open third phase of NAADS without visible achievements from the first and second phases.

It is imperative as government plan to restructure NAADS to either turn it into a campaign platform of delivering political goods or a training medium which will equip farmers lifetime skills, information, technological development and market linkages.

It will also be imprudent to hand NAADS to political failures than technocrats. However, president Museveni seems ready to hand the project to UPDF who have surprised him with high level of competence. To me, technocrats can do a praiseworthy job than UPDF soldiers.

Innovated NAADS must pay ultimate attention to mechanisms of delivering services-high quality seed and training to farmers and people living with disabilities (PLWDs) than bourgeoisie and politicians. The latter groups have always been chief beneficiaries of NAADS from all corners.

Dream to modernise agriculture has been one of NRM’s ultimate target and NAADS presents a chance to catalyse this vision through equipping all Ugandans with skills and better quality seeds. This can easily enable agriculture modernisation to take off and poverty eradication, increasing tax base, GNP, and so forth can straightforwardly be achieved in a shorter period.

NAADS final assessments will after 25yrs, its estimated duration and that will be in 2026. About 12yrs from now. If this project totally fails, shall we again inscribe project papers to move around begging donors for funds???.

Email: johnblanshe77m@gmail.com. Tweet:johnblanshe_m