16/4/2025 – The Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Local Government, Mr Ben Kumumanya, has underscored the critical need for the integration of climate resilience and adaptation strategies alongside the Parish Development Model (PDM).
He emphasised that the advancements made by local communities through PDM could be jeopardised by increasingly frequent and severe climate shocks.
During his address at the National Capacity Building Workshop for the Local Climate Adaptation Living (LoCAL) facility held at Mestil Hotel, Mr Kumumanya highlighted the government’s significant financial commitment to enhancing livelihoods through PDM, with funding nearing the 3 trillion mark.
He stated that protecting this investment necessitates the safeguarding of communities against the adverse impacts of climate change.
Mr Kumumanya also acknowledged the government’s competing priorities, including infrastructure development and rural electrification, which pose challenges to resource allocation.
He expressed sincere appreciation to diverse development partners, including UNCDF, the Republic of Ireland, the Kingdom of Denmark, the European Union, the Kingdom of Sweden, and the Kingdom of Belgium, for their unwavering support of LoCAL and essential interventions within local governments.
He urged local governments to effectively implement programmes under the LoCAL facility, as doing so would encourage partners to expand their interventions to additional regions.
Throughout the workshop, the aforementioned development partners reiterated their commitment to climate action through continued funding and the strengthening of local government systems.
