The Government of Uganda has called upon Local Government Communication Officers to proactively communicate government programmes and interventions to the public to effect improved service delivery, transparency, and accountability.
Speaking at a meeting of Local Government Communication Officers on January 7th, 2025, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, Dr Aminah Zawedde, urged Local Government Communications Officers to actively engage citizens through proactive communication and attentive listening so that government interventions are tailored to the real needs of communities.
During the meeting, the Permanent Secretary presided over the handover of laptops to the Communication officers, noting that the equipment will ease their work by enhancing efficiency, timeliness, and accuracy in information dissemination.
Dr Zawedde encouraged officers to make use of community platforms, such as WhatsApp groups, to highlight government plans and interventions. She emphasized the importance of embracing digital tools, noting that they are no longer a luxury but a necessity.
She directed the officers to ensure that issues raised by citizens are addressed or, at the very least, provided with appropriate responses.
Ben Kumumanya, the Permanent Secretary of Local government mentioned the strategic role of communication in ensuring that citizens are well informed about government policies, programs, and development initiatives implemented at the local government level.
According to Kumumanya, that the laptops were provided in fulfillment of a pledge made during the previous Communication Officers’ meeting held last year, reaffirming Government’s commitment to equipping communication officers with the necessary tools to effectively execute their mandate.
He encouraged the officers to use the equipment responsibly and innovatively to strengthen public engagement and promote a positive image of government service delivery across the country.
Additionally, he also emphasized the need for sharing widely the local government adverts to attract potential candidates for jobs to solve the issue of unemployment and unfilled position.
