The Deputy Head of Public Service in the Office of the Prime Minister, Jane Kyarisiima Mwesiga meeting District officials in finance and planning boardroom on Wednesday.

The Deputy Head of Public Service in the Office of the Prime Minister, Jane Kyarisiima Mwesiga, has emphasized teamwork and collaboration in improving public service delivery.

She stressed that by working together, government institutions and stakeholders can enhance efficiency, address challenges more effectively and ensure that citizens receive timely and high-quality services.

Speaking on Wednesday during an inspection and monitoring visit to Namayingo District, Mwesiga reiterated that her office was tasked with overseeing public service delivery, ensuring that resources are utilized efficiently, transparently and responsibly.

She added that their mandate was to enhance accountability, promote value for money and ultimately improve the quality of life for the community by fostering effective governance and sustainable development.

Mwesiga said that the objective of the visit was to assess service delivery and establish a baseline for improvement, given that her office was relatively new.

“Many times, despite government interventions, public servants forget their roles, leaving citizens to beg for services,” she said. She stressed the need for civil servants to provide seamless and efficient services to the people.

Mwesiga further highlighted that for effective service delivery, collaboration between political leaders and technical teams was essential. She commended Namayingo District for fostering partnerships, citing the establishment of a district radio station as a key innovation. The station is being used for information dissemination, accountability and transparency.

On the issue of salary disparities among civil servants, Mwesiga assured the district leaders that the government was committed to salary enhancement for all public servants, including those in the arts sector. However, she noted that this will be implemented in phases due to budget constraints.

“The government has not forgotten about arts civil servants. Their salaries will be enhanced, but in a phased manner to address existing disparities,” she explained.

Her response followed concerns raised by Namayingo District Chairperson Ronald Sanya, who expressed dissatisfaction over salary differences between scientists and arts-based civil servants. He noted that the disparity had negatively affected service delivery, especially among teachers.

Sanya also highlighted critical challenges affecting service delivery in the district, particularly in education and healthcare. He pointed out that many island sub-counties in Namayingo lack secondary schools, forcing parents who can afford it to send their children to Kenya for education.

“In 2016, during the election campaigns, President Museveni promised a boarding secondary school in Lolwe Islands, but this pledge has not yet been fulfilled," Sanya said. He also noted that the district lacks any post-secondary institutions.

On healthcare, Sanya decried the lack of health facilities in island sub-counties, a situation that has led to increased mortality and health complications due to delays in accessing medical services.

“In Wayasi and Migingo, there are no health facilities. People are forced to seek medical services from Kenya, yet they are Ugandan citizens,” he said.

Sanya further revealed that the district faces significant challenges in transporting patients from the isolated islands to health facilities due to the absence of a district ambulance on the mainland.

Meanwhile, the Chief Administrative Officer, Friday Kyomya, urged the government to lift the hiring ban to enable the district to recruit critical personnel.

“We do not have a District Education Officer (DEO), planner and Engineer, and this affects our performance assessments,” he said.

Following the meeting held at the district headquarters, the delegation conducted field visits Buyinja Health Facility, Namayingo Town Council offices, Buchumba Primary School and the newly constructed Banda Town Council building.