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Permanent Secretary Aggrey Kibenge told culture stakeholders during world culture day celebration in Kampala.
He however called players in the industry to use the money well to rebuild creative industry to eradicate wide spread poverty due to lockdown.
“Government is committed to upholding dialogues with culture players so that creative industry blossoms. The sector has shown Resilience so government will support it to recover to full potential,” Kibenge said.
He said the creative industry has the potential to generate 3.8 trillion revenue per year and government is the right direction to establish creative hub to grow the sector.
However according to Charles Butambuze who doubles as Executive Secretary of National Book Trust of Uganda. Uganda lost close to shs 15 billion per month due to impact of covid 19 pandemic despite Uganda having very rich cultural heritage.
“There is no doubt that Uganda has very rich cultural heritage. In fact a 2017 study by Harvard University found that Uganda is the most ethnically diverse country in the world. This rich cultural heritage which includes traditional cultural expressions, tangible heritage and culture and creative industries is in crisis on account of the out break of the covid 19 pandemic,”Batambuze.
He explained that the covid 19 pandemic has halted festivals, practices and rituals like kadodi. Covid pandemic slowed and many cases wiped away markets for traditional crafts products and services of the culture and creative industries like public concerts and performances, exhibitions, festivals, trainings.
” Estimates by government show that the music industry alone lost shs15 billion within a period of one month following the lock down in match 2020,”
Batambuze however says covid 19 measures including some which are still in place like bans on public gathering, night time curfews, social distancing measures, closure of performances, beaches, recreational and entertainment spaces, bars, galleries, Museums, schools, universities, sports centres, libraries, bookshops and public spaces, restrictions on businesses and closure of concerts have in most cases brought social and economic life to a halt and thus impacting society.
Cross Cultural Foundation of Uganda director Barbara Batweteera in a comment thanked government for the funds however called on government to enforce copy right law, open up creative spaces like bars and festivals saying players are ready to observe sops.
“Government is more than ever willing to listen to culture heritage practitioners now more than ever. This is so because culture heritage are not only the economic drivers and source of employment for many especially women and young people but through the diversity of content they generate, they are also conveyors of meanings and identities which have proven to be vital through out the crisis. Cultural and heritage practitioners therefore need to piggy bank on the several government programme for collaboration and promotion, “she said.
Check also;
- Uganda Lost Shs15 Billion Per Month Due To Covid Pandemic
- 7 billion is Lost Every Year Due To Ghost Teachers
- Uganda To Lose $800 Million In Tourism
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![[dropcap]A[/dropcap] section of women in Bugongo parish and Nawangaiza parish in Nawandala Sub County, Iganga District have decried the near-impossible terms set for them to access GROW funds. They have now petitioned their woman member of parliament for Iganga Hon. Kauma Sauda Alibaawo to ask the government for revised terms and conditions. This is to enable them to benefit from the program. The disgruntled women accuse the implementers of the program of charging the money. They are also asking for their land titles and land agreements. They said that such properties are governed by their husbands. These, therefore want the government through their woman MP to intervene and revise the requirements for one to benefit. The women were on Wednesday at Namabwere primary school in Nawandala Sub County. They had gathered in their respective groups to receive over 300 chickens from Hon Alibaawo in her campaign to improve the livelihood of women in Iganga district. Each group was given 50 chicken as start-up capital in their journey to prosperity. Read what some leaders said; Ms Naigambi Lydia from Nawandala Trading Centre says, “They solicited money from us through opening bank accounts and depositing Shs80,000. They also asked for land titles and land agreements from us yet we don’t have such things. I was informed that I needed to have a business with a capital of Shs4m yet my capital was very small.” The chairperson Kisoboka Saving Group in Nawandala Ms. Nakagolo Faith said they were not able to join the program. This is given the many conditions attached. She also asked their woman MP to raise their concerns to the relevant offices. The MP condemned the mode of implementation of the program. She cited that it has turned to benefit the well-off class of women other than the intended group. She further asked the government to intervene saying the current strings attached to the programme are very tight to accommodate a common woman. GROW project is a Government of Uganda initiative that arose out of the need to respond to the needs of women entrepreneurs. This is especially those who want to grow their businesses, sustain their self-employment and create more jobs. Check Also; Iganga District NRM Leaders Urge Museveni To Fulfill Election Promises Of 2021 International Women's Day: Celebrating Progress Towards Equality](https://i0.wp.com/newslexpoint.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Iganga-women-decry-tough-terms-to-access-GROW-funds-e1731738339732.jpg?resize=300%2C160&ssl=1)
