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Prof Suruma asks graduates to embrace parish model
Prof Ezra Suruma, Chancellor of Makerere University. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
- Government plans to merge the existing seven wealth creation programmes, among them Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme and the Uganda Youth Livelihood Fund, to finance the new project that is meant to eradicate poverty.
The Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof Ezra Suruma, yesterday asked fresh graduates to embrace the new parish model project to improve agriculture production across the country.
Government is set to roll out the model in the next financial year where more than 10,400 parishes will benefit from Shs200b to eradicate poverty among households.
Under the arrangement, each parish will receive Shs19m.
While addressing the congregation during the second day of the university’s 71st graduation ceremony yesterday, Prof Suruma said the parish model aims at increasing agricultural productivity throughout the country.
“I believe this model offers us all opportunities to simplify and understand the process of economic development by making it tangible at the parish model. This is where the rubber meets the road. This is the proving ground for development and growth theories,” the university chancellor said.
Prof Suruma challenged the graduates to take advantage of the programme instead of waiting for donors and government to do it.
“I pray that students and researchers in agriculture, education, financial services, agriculture processing, storage and infrastructure will come alive and take advantage of this opportunity to rescue our economy from poverty and stagnation,” he said.
Merging
Government plans to merge the existing seven wealth creation programmes, among them Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme and the Uganda Youth Livelihood Fund, to finance the new project that is meant to eradicate poverty.
Students from College of Education and External Studies, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences graduated yesterday.
At the same event, more 44 graduated with doctorate degrees. A total of108 PhD students will graduate during the five-day event, which ends on Friday.
The university is slated to graduate 12,500 students from various programmes.
Students from College of Business and Management Sciences, Computing and Information Sciences, and Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Bio-security will graduate today.
