The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government, Ben Kumumanya, has called on Local Government Communication Officers to play a more active role in promoting national development through effective communication.
Speaking on Friday morning at the Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala, where he officially opened a meeting of Local Government Communication Officers, Kumumanya emphasized the importance of communication in shaping public perception and enhancing service delivery.
He noted that government has registered significant progress in various sectors, including education, health, recruitment, and road infrastructure, which needs to be effectively communicated to the public.
“There are many positive developments worth reporting. For example, districts like Kalaki and Terego have established magnificent administrative blocks to provide office space,” Kumumanya said.
The meeting aimed to develop a roadmap and action plan on how to leverage communication as a tool for accelerating national development.
Kumumanya further noted that Communication Officers are among the 15 key positions that local governments must prioritize during recruitment. These include the nine Heads of Department, the Head of Internal Audit, Head of Procurement, Principal Human Resource Officer (PHRO), Water Department Head, and Secretary to the District Service Commission.
He added that the issue of budget allocation for communication will be discussed in the next meeting of Local Government Accounting Officers.
CUE IN KUMUMANYA….ON THE MATTER….RR/ENG//
Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, Dr. Aminah Zawedde, urged Local Government Communication Officers to fully embrace digital communication platforms as effective tools for engaging Uganda’s youthful and tech-savvy population.
Dr. Zawedde pointed out that Uganda’s population is predominantly young, with an average age of 16 years, and most of them are active on platforms such as WhatsApp, TikTok, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube.
“To communicate effectively, government officers must speak to citizens where they are, through modern, interactive, and relatable communication channels,” she said.
Dr. Zawedde revealed that Uganda currently has over 44 million mobile subscriptions and more than 10 million smartphone users, underscoring the need to use digital platforms to disseminate government programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM).
She also urged Communication Officers to use verified facts to counter misinformation and to highlight local success stories that demonstrate the impact of government programs at the grassroots level.
CUE IN DR ZAWEDDE….ON COMMUNICATION…..ENG//
