The two-day Local Economic Development and Wealth Creation Workshop has successfully concluded, bringing together local government leaders, technical officers, development partners, financial institutions, and other stakeholders from across the Greater Masaka region to deliberate on strategies for accelerating local economic transformation and improving service delivery.
During the closing session, the Commissioner for LED, Mr. Namara Anthony commended participants for their active engagement, dedication, and valuable contributions throughout the workshop, noting that the objectives set at the beginning of the engagement had largely been achieved.
He observed that participants held productive discussions on critical areas including coffee quality improvement, agricultural production, commercialization, extension services, agro-processing facilities, public-private partnerships, and the sustainability of government wealth creation programmes. According to the Commissioner, these discussions generated practical recommendations and solutions that will be documented and submitted to the relevant authorities for consideration and action.
The Commissioner also acknowledged the contributions of development partners, financial institutions, and other stakeholders who participated in the workshop. He noted that while many actors are actively supporting local economic development initiatives, stronger coordination is required to maximize impact. He assured participants that the Ministry of Local Government, through its secretariat, will continue strengthening collaboration among stakeholders and addressing issues raised during the workshop.
Special appreciation was extended to Mr. Ben Kumumanya the Permanent Secretary and Accounting Officer of the Ministry of Local Government for supporting the workshop and ensuring its successful implementation. The Commissioner expressed satisfaction that the resources invested in the engagement had been utilized effectively and indicated that similar engagements would be rolled out to other regions of the country.
In his final remarks, he encouraged participants to sustain the momentum generated during the workshop by working collaboratively to strengthen service delivery, promote accountability, and accelerate local economic development across their respective areas of jurisdiction.
Earlier, the Chief Administrative Officer for Sembabule thanked the Commissioner, Ministry officials, facilitators, and participants for what he described as a productive and highly relevant workshop. He challenged technical officers to take a more proactive role in supporting government programmes such as the Parish Development Model (PDM), Emyooga, and other wealth creation initiatives, emphasizing the need to operationalize Local Economic Development Committees and existing coordination structures at district level.
The Resident City Commissioner of Masaka City also commended the Ministry for organizing the workshop and urged local leaders, technical officers, and stakeholders to strengthen collaboration in implementing government programmes. He emphasized the importance of accountability, effective utilization of government resources, investment promotion, and the fight against corruption as essential drivers of community transformation.
The overarching message from the workshop was clear: sustainable local economic transformation requires coordinated action, strong leadership, accountability, and effective implementation of government programmes at the community level.
