Parliament Commits to Accelerating Stalled World Bank Projects

Speaker of Parliament Jacob Marksons Oboth has committed to fast-tracking various World Bank-funded initiatives that have experienced implementation delays. The commitment was made during a meeting with World Bank Country Manager Dr. Francisca Ayodeji Akala at Parliament.

Oboth emphasized that prolonged project delays undermine the nation’s broader development goals. He specifically pointed to the Electricity Access Scale-up Project (EASP), noting that it has faced hurdles since the 2022/23 financial year without fully reaching intended beneficiaries. The Speaker directed parliamentary committees to actively engage with the World Bank and government bodies to eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks.

During the discussions, Dr. Akala highlighted that procurement procedures in Uganda can take nearly 600 days, significantly slowing down project execution. Despite these challenges, she reaffirmed the World Bank Group’s commitment to supporting Uganda through concessional financing, technical assistance, private sector investments, and job creation initiatives for the youth.

Speaker Oboth lauded the enduring partnership between Parliament and the World Bank, expressing hope for continued accessible and affordable financing. Both leaders agreed on the necessity of closer collaboration among Parliament, the Prime Minister’s Office, and development partners to ensure that critical infrastructure and human capital projects are delivered efficiently.

Read more details on the Parliament of Uganda.