Dear Moses, Congratulations for detailing minutes of the meeting held on University of West Nile, I hope there will be no clutching-of- chests by the public and politicians (especially the local natives) about the locations especially the main campus at Bidibidi. I personally visited Bidibidi and moved past its boundaries with Moyo,through the bush paths roads, this was an office for Oxfam NGO's refugee resettlement and later occupied by UNRF II by force. This area and was prone to insurgency and hunting area until recent peace talks between UNRF II and the government of Uganda, the place is so vast and with clustered population distribution and mostly poor peasants, Yumbe town is very far from the location, it will be of great importance if such a remote area is chosen, with minimal customary land ownership conflicts, eventually the area will develop,as of now this site looks completely abandoned due its past nature of insecurity and dry zone belt , and low access to social services and only one main feeder road leads to this site
Thanks again for this update, and we will always contribute ideas and suggestions Odama On 17 June 2010 12:41, moses akuma <[email protected]> wrote: > *Dear Christine and Comrades.* > > *Here are -* > > *HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CONSULTATIVE MEETING ON WEST NILE PUBLIC UNIVERSITY > HELD IN YUMBE.* > > *13th JUNE, 2010* > > *COMMUNITY HALL.* > > *2:00PM -6:00PM.* > > * * > > * * > > * * > > * * > > *AGENDA* > > *1. **Opening Prayers* > > *2. **Self Introduction * > > *3. **Opening remarks By DLC vice Chairman * > > *4. **Briefing from the University Task Force.* > > *5. **Discussions and Way Forward.* > > *6. **Closing Remarks Office the RDC.* > > * * > > *Min 1.* Dr. Epiphany led the opening prayer > > > > *Min. 2.* All members present were given the opportunity to introduce > themselves. > > *Min. 3.* In opening remarks the vice chairman expressed that the issue of > the West Nile Public University had become a Song Indeed West Nile needs a > Proximal public University campus and Yumbe with the philanthropic gesture > of offering Land in Bidibidi is applying for the whole University not part > or departments to be located in Yumbe since it provides a central location > for all others districts at the extreme ends of the region like Adjumani and > Nebbi. He also said that in the event that there is still need the district > Council will offer more land to the development of the University > > *Min. 4.* The Team Leader University task force Associate Professor > Christine Dranzoa Welcomed and appreciated the members for attending the > consultative meeting. She thanked Yumbe Local Government for what she called > a philanthropic gesture of giving the University Land in Bidibidi Romogi > sub-county which she confirmed was already documented. > > In effort to give a background to the formation of the Taskforce, Professor > added that the development of the University called for absolute commitment > this is why the Ministry of Education approached them individually as sons > and daughter of the region to take up the task of starting the processes > leading to the development of the public University in West Nile. She > mentioned her three person team members by their names and designations as > follows: > > * * > > *Name > Designation* > > 1. Associate Professor Christine Dranzoa Vice Chancellor > > 2. Mr. Lam Lagor James Depute > Academic Registrar > > 3. Dr. Epiphany Picho > University > Secretary > > Professor said that this team brings together an experience of over 60 > years which the people of West Nile should appreciate. > > On why the people of West Nile should yearn for a Public University, she > said the university potentiates and triggers development. Since 1970s and > 1980s to date MAYANK, local leaders, elders, technical persons and Church > leaders have always demanded for a public University in the region. The > presidential directive to the Ministry of education to expedite the creation > of the University task force is a sure response to the Desires and Demands > of the people of West Nile. This makes the University of West Nile a demand > driven institution. She said such efforts like the Islamic University by > Late president Idi Amini and Nile University are history gone back. > > She reiterated that there was an independent approach by the Ministry of > Education to the individual Members of the Task force whom she said are > independent of any political influence and interferences because they have > clear terms of reference which she indicated as follows: > > 1. To develop a master plan for the West Nile Public University. > > 2. To mobilize resources both material, human and intellectual that > will facilitate, influence and inform the direction of the development > process of this public University. > > 3. To identify programs that are relevant and demand driven > > 4. To pursue any other business within the legal frame work of > University and other tertiary institutions act. > > Professor Christine described the proposed public University as a > pro-people, addressing common mans needs and termed it as an institution > coming to provide a ‘Universal University education’ > > In reference to the status of West Nile she said much as her geographical > location is of advantage, it is sometimes a disadvantage for example in all > towns of Uganda you find West Nile women engaging in subsistent survival > businesses and the men in local security activities. This to her was very > displeasing. The university education should contribute towards changing > this negative identity of West Nile. > > She tasked the people of West Nile to focus beyond ethnicity, constituency > politics or district to a bigger and better future for the people of West > Nile. > > *Progress made by the Task force Team.* > > They interacted with Arua District officials who gave a big welcome and an > exciting acceptance which the professor said was very challenging. > > *They offered the following:* > > 1. The ICT centre in Arua for immediate start of the programs. > > 2. Madi Okolo settlement structures and land > > 3. Urban programs be run in Muni NTC and land of 130.054 hectares was > given. > > 4. The task force has also received individual contributions of > computers and books > > 5. The task force has got the Land given by Yumbe Local Government in > Bidibidi. > > 6. The Task force has created three sub committees who are already > working on three programs : BSC Nursing, Information and Communication > Technology, and BSC Technical program > > On scoping of activities the professor remarked that the University is not > yet given existence by an act of parliament however she said these processes > will now lead to the enactment in parliament. > > *Approach of the proposed University:* > > § Students will be clustered into cohorts (groups) > > § Courses will be competence based > > § Skills based with an attitude devoted to serve the community. > > § Community based and participatory > > All these are aimed at making sure that we work with partners because we > need them. > > Dr. Epiphany termed the University as from the people for the people. He > said the purpose of their coming was to carry out a needs assessment of the > West Nile region in relation to the Public University. > > He asked members what is it that we want to see. We want to produce > students who can do not only those who know and can’t do. Because of this > the University will also run some cross cutting courses like: > > 1. Communication skills which he said will address the challenge of > University graduates ‘making good sentences by accident.’ > > 2. Ethics which he said will reverse the challenges among civil > servants irresponsive and inhumane attitudes at work. > > He asked members present to propose on the following > > *Name of the University* > > Members chose University of West Nile as the name they would propose as > people of Yumbe. > > *Whether the University should offer Science or Arts* > > The university should offer both Sciences and Arts > > *Whether the University should be Unitary or decentralized.* > > The university should be decentralized but the centre should be situated in > Yumbe district. Members said that the university should uphold producing > quality, Performers not just people who meet entry requirements. > > In her closing remarks the Professor said “we take nothing for granted even > if it is a minority view” > > The meeting ended at 6:00pm > Please Note that similar meetings are held else where in the Region so if > there are any intellectual information you could share to keep the efforts > focused you could. > Remember it is a consultative process not conclusive yet. > Kind Regards > Moses Akuma Odims > Program Officer MAYANK Development Association (MDA) Secretariat in Yumbe. > > ------------------------------ > *From:* christine munduru <[email protected]> > > *To:* A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile <[email protected]> > *Sent:* Wed, June 16, 2010 12:36:00 PM > > *Subject:* Re: [WestNileNet] Arua fails to spend 1.7 B shillings > > Dear all, > This comes back to accountability of our leaders/governments to the > citizens which I spoke about some time back. I did say that while we > struggle as WNF to cause development in West Nile, we must hold our > leaders/governments accountable to their responsibilities and members > disagreed with me. Can you now see how local governments in Arua are failing > us? How many people lack safe water in Arua, how many good murram roads do > we have in Arua. Just take the road to Ediofe as a nearby example, what > would be the reason to return such money in these situations. Now if WNF was > to look for funds for some of these developments and the donors hear money > for such things being returned, who would take us serious? > > These are some of the issues that WNF should start engaging in. I hear the > University is in this years budget (not sure), we are not hearing what is > going on, I hope the money wont be returned also. > > Thanks > > Christine > > ------------------------------ > *From:* Robert Ejiku <[email protected]> > *To:* A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile <[email protected]> > *Sent:* Wed, June 16, 2010 12:05:41 PM > *Subject:* Re: [WestNileNet] Arua fails to spend 1.7 B shillings > > Caleb, > > Its truly annoying but did he give reasons why. I know of moments when > Bushenyi has found itself in similar situations perhaps because of what they > now call absorption capacity that John Nasasira's referred to when asked why > the hefty 1 trillion for roads was not utilized. But Kanungu complained of > bureaucracy and late releases especially where the PPDA guidelines to > procure goods, services and civil works applies. > > One proposal to solve this problem was to look into the guidelines and > reduce on unnecessary red tape at the Ministry of Finance (Azabo). > > Now I am sure our own in Government who are well versed with these systems > may want to educate us the laymen. > > But should it be sheer incompetence on the part of our program > implementers, then the idea of creating as many districts as there are > counties might now gain credence. > > Over to you fellows and all the best. > > > > > Ejiku > > > On 6/16/10, Caleb Alaka <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Arua Local Government is to return close to Shillings 2,000,000,000/= >> (two billion) to the Central Government after the authorities failed to >> utilise the funds. The money was meant for service delivery during the >> 2009/10 Financial year. The Sectors that failed to use the money are works >> and water departments (1.1bn), Education shs 322 Million and peace recovery >> and development program (276M). The unspent monies were meant for >> construction of community roads, drilling of bore holes, construction of >> schools and maintenance of feeder roads that is according to the secretary >> finance Arua District Local Government one Sam Wadri Nyakua. >> >> This scenario is so annoying. We are breaking our backs to ensure that our >> region copes up with the rest in terms of development, our local leaders are >> obdurately failing us. what are your comments ladies and gentlemen. >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> WestNileNet mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet >> >> WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ >> >> All Archives can be found at >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >> >> The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including >> attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. >> _______________________________________________ >> >> > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > WestNileNet mailing list > [email protected] > http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet > > WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ > > All Archives can be found at > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > > The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including > attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. > _______________________________________________ > >
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