The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning has on Tuesday, June 4, 2024 launched the budget month in order to sensitize the general public about the priorities in the next 2024/2025 budget.

The government’s priority areas in the next financial year include promoting tourism, industrialization, science and technology, the development of mineral resources, education, the health sector, job creation, and the and the construction and rehabilitation of roads.

Other priorities include the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway, poverty mitigation programs such as the as the Parish Development Model and Emyooga, and the provision of electricity and clean and safe water, among others.

Ramathan Ggoobi, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and also the secretary to the Treasury, said this will enable the government to popularize the 2024–2025 Shs72 trillion national budget.

He said that under this initiative, facts about government priorities in the coming budget will be translated in different languages through community bars and media.

Goobi added that this will raise awareness about various government programs in the budget, taxes, and development projects.

“This will require effective engagement of the key stakeholders in the implementation, monitoring, and oversight of the budget, said Ggoobi.

During the conference, Minister of State for Investment Evelyn Anite, who represented Matia Kasaija, cautioned government officials against corruption, saying it is likely to sabotage the successful implementation of the next budget.

The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning launched the budget for financial year 2024/2025 under the same theme as financial year 2023/2024, which is full monetization of Uganda’s economy through commercial agriculture, industrialization, expanding and broadening services, digital transformation, and market access.