Leaders in Lwengo District have called on the government to increase funding to local governments, saying current allocations are insufficient to meet residents' growing needs and improve service delivery.

The call was made by Lwengo District Council Speaker Kanyesigye Madox during the district's budget conference for the 2027/2028 financial year, held at the District Council Hall.

Kanyesigye said the funds allocated to the district were inadequate to address pressing challenges in education, healthcare and road infrastructure.

Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn

He noted that the district requires additional resources to improve schools, health facilities and roads, adding that the current allocation of about Shs1 billion was insufficient, particularly because it also has to cater for staff salaries.

The speaker appealed to the government to increase the district's budget allocation to enable leaders to respond more effectively to residents' needs and improve access to essential public services.

Meanwhile, district councillors, led by Hamza Ssempijja, expressed optimism about the proposed 2027/2028 budget, saying it offered hope for addressing some of the challenges facing the district.

On environmental concerns, Bukoto West Member of Parliament Muhammad Muyanja Sentayi urged residents to stop activities that contribute to environmental degradation, including bush burning and encroachment on wetlands.

Muyanja said environmental destruction had worsened the effects of heavy rains, which have damaged property and disrupted residents' livelihoods.

He sympathised with those affected and said he had written to the ministry responsible for disaster management, seeking assistance for victims of the rains in Lwengo District.

The legislator also encouraged residents to embrace tree planting as a long-term measure to protect the environment and help communities cope with extreme weather.