Pokwero sub-county in Pakwach District is celebrating significant achievements under the Parish Development Model (PDM) program, following strong community support for the initiative.
Pokwero sub-county comprises six parishes: Pokwero East, Janam-Orwenyo, Owiny, Oceke, Pokwero, and Lobodegi.
The success was highlighted during a recent meeting between Owiny Alfred Thopacu, the Special Presidential Assistant on Political Affairs and PDM program monitor for Northern Uganda, and beneficiaries of the PDM in Pokwero sub-county.
Over 600 beneficiaries from the above parishes attended the meeting.
Owiny noted the importance of safeguarding the PDM program, an initiative spearheaded by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to uplift rural households out of poverty.
“The President aims for every rural household to combat poverty through PDM,” he stressed, urging careful selection of enterprises with high returns.
Owiny further pledged to provide farmers with free cassava cuttings from his 5-acre cassava garden for planting once the rain stabilizes.
He also encouraged the establishment of PDM Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations (SACCOs) as community-owned banks, which will receive government support amounting to Shs. 500 million per parish after five years.
Speaking at the meeting, Pakwach District LCV Chairman, Robert Omito, encouraged PDM beneficiaries to actively participate in such gatherings to address program-related challenges and gain inspiration from success stories.
However, the Pakwach Deputy Resident District Commissioner (DRDC), Twaibu Achile, cautioned against detractors spreading negative sentiments about the President’s development initiatives like PDM, urging focus on enterprise growth instead.
The Ag. sub-county Chief of Pokwero, Hawa Sebbi, provided a detailed progress report on the PDM program in her area, advocating for timely disbursement of PDM funds to avoid disruptions in farming operations.
Some beneficiaries shared their success stories: Ms. Florence Oikane from Lobodegi parish invested in a successful piggery farm, Mr. Coorom Patrick from Pokwero parish utilized funds for cassava cultivation, and Mr. Jayik Felix ventured into fishing.
The meeting was attended by senior government and security officials to support and oversee the PDM’s implementation and impact in Pakwach sub-county.
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