Gov’t infra cost down; DPWH eyes P60-B savings

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon announced on Monday that he has signed an order lowering the cost of various construction materials used in government projects by as much as 75 percent.

In a briefing, Dizon said the cost of asphalt, steel sheet piles, gravel, sand, reinforced steel bars grade 60 and grade 40, cement, as well as ready-to-mix concrete, will be cut and aligned with current market prices.

Dizon estimated that the lower prices will result in P60 billion worth of savings in the 2026 budget, and it is up to Congress to decide where this money will be used.

The public works chief added that his order to lower the material cost applies not just to public works slated for next year, but also to ‘2025 projects that have yet to be awarded, that have no contracts, and are still being procured.’

‘So even in the 2025 [budget], there would already be savings. I just don’t know how much,’ he said.

Dizon noted in a presentation that, based on the findings of a team led by Public Works Undersecretary Lara Esquibil, prices of some construction supplies for certain government projects can be reduced by 75 percent to align with prevailing market costs.

The team examined the prices of construction materials in the market by checking those that were sold by accredited private suppliers and compared these with the cost previously set by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Across the country

On average, it was found that the asphalt used in government projects costs P13,863.85 per metric ton (MT).

However, upon checking the average market value of the item, Dizon noted that it was priced at only P6,961 per MT.

Prices of construction materials and their market value also varied depending on the area, but Dizon pointed out that asphalt was consistently priced higher than its market value across 17 regions of the country.

Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) had the biggest difference between the government cost of asphalt and the market price, with Dizon saying that ‘in the projects we saw in Mindoro, the price of asphalt was P23,650 per metric ton. But based on what we saw in the market, it was less than P6,000.’

Given a market price of P5,937, Dizon noted that projects in Central Luzon had asphalt that costs P14,006.81 per MT, while in the National Capital Region (NCR), it goes for P13,938.49 per MT.

In Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), asphalt was priced at P13,525, while in the Bicol region it was P12,731.

When it comes to steel sheet piles, their average cost for the DPWH was P62 a kilo, but it was found that the average market value was only at P40 a kilo, based on data presented by Dizon.

Caraga posted the highest price for steel sheet piles at P85 a kilo, which was more than double the market price of P37 a kilo in the region.

Opportunities for corruption

‘These are the components of flood control [projects], together with gravel, cement, sand, all of it,’ Dizon said. ‘These are included in what the President called as opportunities for corruption. That’s what we are trying to reduce here.’

Grade 1 gravel used in public works costs an average of P1,015 a cubic meter, but its market price was found to be only P690. Caraga region similarly had the highest price for gravel at P1,606 a cubic meter compared to the market value of P601 in the area.

Meanwhile, sand used in government projects had an average price of P952 a cubic meter, but its market cost was only P650.

Government projects in NCR had the most expensive sand at P1,315 compared to the prevailing market price of P450.

This was followed by Caraga, with sand priced at P1,406 (market price of P557), and Mimaropa with P1,538 (P620).

Moreover, reinforced steel bars grade 60 were priced at P54 a kilo on average, while their market value was only P37. Reinforced steel bars grade 40 were priced at P52 a kilo, while their market price was P36.

Construction materials that were priced closest to their market value were cement and ready-to-mix concrete, although the average government cost was still higher than market costs.

Cement was priced at P236 per 40-kilo bag as against its market value of P213, while ready-to-mix concrete cost P5,782 a cubic meter compared with the market price of P5,402.

President Marcos had earlier instructed Dizon to lower the prices of construction materials by ‘as much as 50 percent.’

‘In order to ensure that the cost of the DPWH will reflect the cost of the market, and to ensure that the people’s money is correctly spent, I have directed the DPWH secretary to bring down the cost of materials by as much as 50 percent, which will result in savings in the capital outlay spending of at least P30 to 45 billion,’ Mr. Marcos had said.

Capital outlays refer to expenditures to build roads, bridges, dams, irrigation work, schools, and hospitals.

On Oct. 30, the President announced that he had also ordered other government agencies with infrastructure items in their budgets to follow the move of the DPWH to reduce the cost for construction materials by as much as 50 percent.

The transformation of Soludo

In another four days, November, the people of Anambra State will go to the polls to elect a new governor. The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) has so far cleared 16 candidates for the battle. Of the 16, Chukwuma Soludo, an outsider and the incumbent governor who joined politics only four years ago however remains the candidate to beat. Political pundits have in fact tipped him to win with a landslide beating all his other seasoned and professional politicians round and square.

The rise of Soludo is unprecedented. Many are therefore anxious to know the sources of his transformation. In fact, on account of his unparalleled rise and extraordinary performance, not a few believe the Soludo brand will require future studies by intellectuals. Here was a cynical intellectual who has spent his most productive years in the Ivory Tower. He was a professor of Economics at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka; visiting professor at Swarthmore College, USA; Smuts research fellow at Cambridge University; visiting scholar at University of Warwick and Oxford University; visiting fellow at Brookings Institution, Washington, DC; research fellow at UN-Economic Commission for Africa, Ethiopia and a visiting scholar at IMF research department, among others.

He was a former Finance Adviser to the federal government and one time governor of Central Bank of Nigeria. He was the founding chairman of the African Finance Corporation and has consulted for many international organisations including the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), UNCTAD, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the African Development Bank (ADB), etc.

Nothing therefore prepared Soludo, an intellectual, a cynical breed that regards all men as fortune hunters, for politics as a calling. Many of his predecessors who took the risk ended up in grief. They were unable to survive in the real world of politics where being a politician itself is a nightmare because all politicians are regarded as tricksters, corrupt, untrustworthy and an unscrupulous breed.

Beyond the struggle to protect their integrity as builders of institutions including bureaucracy without which society decays, involvement of intellectuals in politics meant learning anew how to survive party intrigues, betrayal by trusted allies and stabbing in the back by those driven by party ambition. And if they survive navigating that purgatory, then comes the true test of being in power – balancing self-interest of pressure groups and that of public interest they are elected to serve. This task, as many who fell by the way side have discovered, often requires a politician’s versatility, brinkmanship and skilful exploitation of innermost fears of the masses in order to satisfy the demand of the rich, the real owners of society and the power behind the throne.

That Soludo was able to successfully balance the interest of the poor masses of Anambra and the greed of their economic elite regarded as the richest group in Nigeria was part of Soludo’s unique record he celebrated through dancing and rendition of local songs about Igbo folklores and folktales as he carried his campaign message from one Local Council Area to the other. And that was all he needed to win the trust of ordinary people of Anambra who freely added their widows mite to the huge donations from Anambra super rich, to offset Soludo’s campaign expenses.

But Soludo, a highly resourceful fellow, in spite of that advantage did not take his peoples’ support for granted. He campaigned vigorously, selling a new vision without forgetting to remind his people of fulfilled promises.

On the other hand, many of his opponents are unknown, are without structures while some launched their campaign a week to Election Day, forcing Soludo to observe: ‘This is shocking and a mockery for a political party like the APC to flag off its campaign seven days to the voting process’.

It is not just that Soludo’s opponents in the battle coming up in four days’ time are unprepared; they don’t appear to have anything to sell beyond fear. They are apprehensive that Soludo might rig the election through either vote buying or the use of the state security apparatus to intimidate opposition.

This was the narrative of three of Soludo’s opponents viz John Nwosu of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Chioma Ifemudilike of African Action Congress (AAC) and Onyekwelu YPP’s spokesman who stood in for Paul Chukwuma, candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) during their last Saturday’s encounter with Channel TV’s Ayo Makinde.

For instance, the governorship candidate of ADC, John Nwosu who listed his assets as ’18 branches of his IT firm’, his expertise as a trained economist and IT expert, has declared that the only thing that stands between him and victory is Soludo’s possible vote buying and abuse of the of Anambra security outfit to intimidate the opposition’. He was silent on the fact that his party, ADC has no structure to man the polling booths in Anambra in an election that comes up in another four days.

The excuse of Chioma Ifemudilike, the governorship candidate of African Action Congress (AAC), whose party is not known to the masses, and has no structure or even agenda, was not different. The only reason she could lose the election is if Soludo rigs the election. Similarly, Onyekwelu YPP’s spokesman alerted Nigerians that if his principal, Paul Chukwuma, loses, it will not be because his party is unknown but because Soludo rigs.

This why many believe that Soludo’s opponents have made his victory inevitable. For while they sell fear, he advertises his achievements. Campaigning in Oguata LGA last Saturday, Soludo reminded the people of how he dislodged IPOB terrorists from eight Local Government Areas (LGAs) it controlled before he assumed office in 2021. He also told them of how he employed 8000 teachers, over 1000 doctors and nurses and empowered over 13,000 youths.

As November 8 draws nearer, Soludo’s records continue to speak for him. The latest recognition came from BudgIT which rated, Anambra State as 2025 Nigeria’s best-performing state in fiscal management, rising from second position in 2024, to beat Lagos to the second, as well as Kwara (third), Abia (fourth), and Edo to the fifth position. Anambra government has attributed the feat to Soludo’s ‘strategic economic reforms and disciplined financial management, which have placed the state on a sustainable growth path.’

On the health sector, Governor Soludo’s administration according to his commissioner of health has revolutionised the state’s health sector through the ‘construction of five new general hospitals and the rehabilitation of over 130 others, including primary healthcare centres, across the state within three years.’

Soludo’s education policies focus on free and compulsory education from nursery to senior secondary school in Anambra State, ‘to ensure that children from all socio-economic backgrounds can access quality education and develop their full potential’.

On agriculture, Soludo has said his agriculture policy in the last three years focused on ‘an agriculture-led transformation in Anambra State to boost food security and create wealth’. To achieve his government set goals, some of his administration’s initiatives include the ‘Farm to Feed’ campaign’.

The lack of seriousness on the path of Soludo’s 15 opponents is the reason many believe that the problem with elections in Nigeria has always been politicians who exploit our religion and ethnic faults to behave like outlaws. We remember Chief Remi Fani Kayode of NNDP in the First Republic, emboldened by Nnamdi and Ahmadu Bello, swore his party would win the 1965 Western Region election whether the people voted for his party or not. That sounded the death knell of the First Republic. In 1983, the same group with Walter Ofonagoro as rain doctor spoke of ‘landslide and sea-slide victory in opposition strongholds’. That led to the sacking of the Second Republic by the military. In 2023, the same group led by unprincipled serial cross-carpeters – Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, driven by greed on the eve of an election splintered their party into three. For two years each of them has continued to claim victory despite the verdicts by INEC and the Supreme Court. Following their rhetoric, their unthinking followers openly canvassed for insurrection or military takeover thereby once again, bringing the past to pain.

As we have often said, the federal arrangement often produces egocentric men who behave like outlaws. Solution can therefore not come through electoral law but through politics. With defecting politicians almost turning the nation to one party state, the president has the yam and the knife.

PHOTOS: How Pro-Wike Camp Seized Control Of PDP Secretariat

The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a dramatic turn on Monday when a faction loyal to Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), seized control of the party’s National Headquarters, located at Wadata Plaza, Abuja.

Amid internal turmoil within the party, the Wike faction appointed Muhammed Abdulrahman as acting chairman after suspending Umar Damagum.

Prior to the development, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party under Damagum had suspended Samuel Anyanwu and other officials loyal to Wike.

While addressing journalists in Abuja, the factional acting Chairman, Abdulrahman, said his mission was to reunite the party. He, however, later moved into the Secretariat, where he held his first meeting with Anyanwu and other officials of the Wike camp.

With supporters of the two camps at the party’s headquarters, police had been deployed to the area, with at least 10 Hilux vans, to prevent any clash between the two camps.

PHOTOS: Okowa Spotted As APC Govs Troop To Bayelsa Govt House For Diri

Ifeanyi Okowa, former Vice-Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was spotted among top APC chieftains who visited the Bayelsa State Government House, on Monday.

The meeting was in solidarity with Governor Douye Diri who is on the verge of formally dumping the PDP for APC. Okowa had dumped PDP at about the time Governor Sheriff Oborevwori joined the APC.

With the defection of Diri, all South South States, with the exception of Rivers, are now under the control of APC.

’Tino’ pounds Negros; Signal No. 4 remains hoisted as typhoon heads for Panay

Typhoon Tino (international name: Kalmaegi) continued to lash parts of the Visayas on Tuesday morning, November 4, bringing life-threatening winds and heavy rainfall as it barreled towards Panay Island, state weather bureau PAGASA said.

In its 8 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said the eye of Tino was located in the vicinity of Sagay City, Negros Occidental, packing maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 205 kph.

It was moving west-northwestward at 25 kph.

Typhoon-force winds extend outward up to 300 kilometers from the center.

Warning signals

The following areas are under tropical cyclone wind signals:

Signal No. 4

Visayas

The western portion of Leyte (Palompon, Isabel, Merida, the northern portion of Cebu (Lapu-Lapu City, Cordova, Mandaue City, Cebu City, Balamban, Asturias, Danao City, Compostela, Liloan, Consolacion, Borbon, Carmen, Tuburan, Catmon, Sogod, Tabuelan, Tabogon, San Remigio, City of Bogo, Toledo City, City of Talisay, Minglanilla, Medellin, Daanbantayan) including Camotes Islands and Bantayan Islands, the northernmost portion of Negros Oriental (Vallehermoso, Canlaon City), the northern portion of Negros Occidental (San Carlos City, Salvador Benedicto, Calatrava, Toboso, City of Escalante, Sagay City, Cadiz City, Manapla, City of Victorias, Enrique B. Magalona, Silay City, City of Talisay, Bacolod City, Murcia, Bago City, Pulupandan, Valladolid, La Carlota City, San Enrique, Pontevedra, La Castellana), Guimaras, Capiz, Iloilo, the central and southern portions of Antique (Patnongon, Sibalom, Barbaza, Valderrama, Hamtic, San Jose, Bugasong, Culasi, Tibiao, Anini-Y, San Remigio, Belison, Tobias Fornier, Laua-An), and the southern portion of Aklan (Libacao, New Washington, Banga, Altavas, Madalag, Balete, Batan)

Residents in these areas may experience destructive winds of 118 to 184 kph, posing a significant threat to life and property.

Signal No. 3

Luzon

The southwestern portion of Masbate (Balud), the northernmost portion of Palawan (El Nido, Taytay, Dumaran, Araceli) including Calamian Islands and Cuyo Islands

Visayas

The rest of Leyte, Biliran, the northern portion of Bohol (Ubay, Pres. Carlos P. Garcia, Trinidad, San Miguel, Bien Unido, Talibon, Getafe, Buenavista, Inabanga, Danao, Dagohoy), the central portion of Cebu (Sibonga, City of Carcar, San Fernando, Aloguinsan, Pinamungahan, Barili, Dumanjug, Argao, Alcantara, Moalboal, Ronda, City of Naga), the northern portion of Negros Oriental (City of Guihulngan, La Libertad, Jimalalud), the central portion of Negros Occidental (Hinigaran, Moises Padilla, Isabela, Binalbagan), the rest of Aklan, the rest of Antique including Caluya Islands

Storm-force winds of 89 to 117 kph may result in moderate to significant impacts in these areas.

Signal No. 2

Luzon

The western portion of Masbate (Esperanza, Pio V. Corpuz, Placer, Cawayan, Milagros, Mandaon), the southern portion of Oriental Mindoro (Bulalacao, Mansalay, Roxas, Bongabong), the southern portion of Occidental Mindoro (Magsaysay, San Jose, Rizal, Calintaan), Romblon, and the northern portion of Palawan (San Vicente, Roxas)

Visayas

The western and southern portion of Samar (San Sebastian, Santa Rita, Villareal, Zumarraga, Pinabacdao, Talalora, Jiabong, City of Catbalogan, Motiong, Calbiga, Daram, Paranas, Basey, Hinabangan, Santo Niño, Almagro, Tarangnan, Marabut, San Jorge, Gandara, Pagsanghan, Santa Margarita, Tagapul-An, Calbayog City), the rest of Cebu, the central portion of Negros Oriental (Tayasan, Manjuyod, Bais City, Mabinay, Bindoy, Ayungon, City of Tanjay, Pamplona, Amlan, San Jose), the rest of Negros Occidental, Southern Leyte and the rest of Bohol

Gale-force winds of 62 to 88 kph may cause minor to moderate damage in the affected areas.

Signal No. 1

Luzon

Sorsogon, the rest of Masbate including Ticao Island, Burias Island, Albay, the rest of Oriental Mindoro, the northern and central portions of Occidental Mindoro (Sablayan, Santa Cruz, Abra de Ilog, Mamburao, Paluan), the southern portion of Quezon (San Francisco, San Andres), the southern portion of Marinduque (Torrijos, Buenavista, Gasan, Boac), and the central portions of Palawan (Puerto Princesa City) including Cagayancillo Islands

Visayas

Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, the rest of Samar, the rest of Negros Oriental, and Siquijor

Mindanao

Dinagat Islands, the northern portion of Surigao del Norte (Surigao City, San Francisco, Malimono, Mainit, Sison, Tagana-An, Placer, Tubod, Bacuag), and Camiguin

Heavy rainfall, coastal hazards

PAGASA warned that intense to torrential rains are expected over Western and Central Visayas, with possible serious flooding and rain-induced landslides in low-lying and mountainous areas.

The typhoon is also enhancing the northeast monsoon (Amihan), bringing gusty conditions across Luzon, Western Visayas and parts of Mindanao.

A gale warning is in effect across most coastal waters in the country, with seas described as very rough to high and waves reaching up to 7 meters.

PAGASA said sea travel is extremely risky, advising small vessels to stay in port.

Track, intensity outlook

According to PAGASA, Tino has made landfall over Borbon, Cebu and Sagay City, Negros Occidental, and is forecast to continue crossing Negros Island before heading toward northern Palawan and emerging over the West Philippine Sea by Wednesday morning, November 5.

While the typhoon may slightly weaken as it interacts with land, it is expected to remain at typhoon strength throughout its passage across the country.

Tino is projected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Wednesday evening or early Thursday, November 6.

’I was forced to resign’: Ex-NBI chief Jaime Santiago says on sudden exit

Newly resigned National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Jaime Santiago said he was forced to step down.

Santiago made the revelation during the turnover ceremony of the NBI administration on Monday, November 3.

He did not, however, provide details on how or why he was compelled to resign.

“Pero ‘yung aking effort mukhang kulang or hindi nagustuhan ng nakararami. So I was forced to resign,” Santiago said.

(But it seems my efforts were either insufficient or not appreciated by the majority. So, I was forced to resign.)

On October 27, Malacañang accepted the “irrevocable resignation” that he filed on August 15.

Santiago previously said he resigned due to individuals who made moves to besmirch his reputation.

Following Santiago’s resignation, the Palace designated former NBI deputy director Lito Magno as officer-in-charge (OIC).

During the turnover ceremony, Santiago said he entrusted the bureau to Magno and urged him to lead “objectively.”

“Let us lead the NBI, the bureau, objectively. Ako, I have never been subjective. Kahit galit ako sa tao, kailangang ma-promote,” Santiago said.

(Let us lead the NBI, the bureau, objectively. As for me, I have never been subjective. Even if I am angry at someone, they must still be promoted.)

“Kahit naman kakampi ko, kahit naman paborito ko, kahit na, well, kailangang kastiguhin, kastiguhin. That is all for the bureau,” he added.

(Even if they are my ally, even if they are my favorites, if they need to be disciplined, discipline them. That is all for the bureau.)

Nabachwa: Save as soon as you earn

Who is Pumla Nabachwa?

I am a certified financial literacy coach and an economist who has dedicated her career to empowering others with essential financial knowledge.

How did your childhood influence your career?

I grew up in a household where education and personal development were highly valued. My father, an IT specialist, and my mother, a nutritionist and educator, instilled in me the belief that education is a powerful tool. They emphasized discipline, confidence, and the idea that obstacles are often self-imposed, shaping my mindset and career path.

My parents taught me that I could achieve anything I set my mind to, provided I was genuinely interested in it. They encouraged independence and self-exploration, believing in the importance of exposing me to various opportunities so I could discover my passions.

What role did your interests play in shaping your career and how did these experiences contribute to your current role as a financial literacy coach?

Once I discovered that I loved economics, I became excited about learning and performing well in my studies. This guided me toward a career in financial literacy, where I could combine my passion for economics with my desire to help others.

The confidence and independence instilled in me by my parents, along with my passion for economics, led me to become a financial literacy coach. I want to share the knowledge I have gained and empower others to take control of their financial futures, drawing from my own journey of self-discovery and resilience.

What was the turning point or key moment that shaped your career path?

My turning point came when a change in leadership at the Bank of Uganda led to a significant shift. A new Deputy Governor restructured the Bank. He believed that some people might be better suited in different departments to serve more. Around this time, I had already started appearing on podcasts and television-speaking about women, motherhood, and society.

Then, I received a letter notifying me of my transfer from the Economics Department to the Communications Department.

My initial reaction was resistance. After all, I am an economist, trained to work with numbers, data, and policy. Yet, I have always had an open mind and a heart for service. So I accepted, unaware that this shift would redefine my purpose.

In that moment of transition, I realised that while numbers and data are essential, they are only as useful as the people who understand them. If people can’t grasp the information we are giving them no matter how accurate or sophisticated, it is useless.

I saw a gap between the technical language of economists and the understanding of ordinary Ugandans. As a Central Bank, we often communicated from a place of expertise-dense, data-heavy, and inaccessible. Yet the people we served could not respond to monetary policy they did not understand.

That is when it clicked.

I realised that my gift was more than technical knowledge-I could speak, connect and simplify. So I committed myself to taking complex economic and financial concepts and translating them into everyday language that ordinary Ugandans could understand and apply in their lives.

I stopped speaking to impress and started speaking to connect. That shift shaped the trajectory of my career.

Around the same time, the Deputy Governor now Governor recognised the same issue: Our policies were not reaching the people they were meant to help. He leveraged communication as a monetary policy tool.

He said something that stayed with me: ‘We can have all the right tools in our economic toolkit, but if people don’t understand what we’re doing, those tools stop working. Communication must be part of the solution.’

It was like seeing my internal conviction validated at the highest level. I wasn’t just being ‘moved’ into Communications-I was being positioned to fill a critical national gap. Even then, I thought I was a good communicator. But I learned that talking is not the same as communicating.

My first presentations in this new role flopped. Colleagues told me, ‘We didn’t understand anything you said.’ That was humbling. I had to unlearn and relearn. I had to admit, ‘I don’t know how to communicate with people who aren’t economists.’

It took time, practice, and humility. But eventually, I learned how to simplify, humanise, and contextualise financial knowledge.

What has shaped you?

Humility and a willingness to learn. I had to be humbled before I could grow. Even with my expertise, I had to pause and tell myself, ‘No, no. Nobody understands that. Break it down. That mindset shift changed everything.

Technical knowledge alone is not enough. You must communicate it in a way that people can understand, especially in a country like Uganda where financial literacy is still growing. The current governor who was a deputy then decided to leverage communication as a monetary policy.

What has shaped me is stepping outside the typical economist’s desk beyond typing and drafting, and going into communities, schools, and public spaces. I now focus a lot on young people, especially students in Senior Four to Senior Six. The realisation that knowing is not enough. Sharing, connecting, and translating that knowledge to empower others-that’s where the real impact lies.

What is your biggest success story, and why does it stand out?

Five years ago, shortly after Covid-19, I got certified as a financial literacy educator. I was a trained economist-both academically and practically-but sitting in that classroom and learning the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of saving, budgeting, and planning changed my life in ways I had not expected.

I knew the theory, but I had never been taught how to apply it to my life. For three years after that training, I practised what I learned: saving with purpose, setting financial goals, and planning my money. The transformation in my own finances was so significant that I kept thinking: ‘What if I had learned this 10 years earlier?’ That question became my motivation to start teaching others.

I began speaking at schools, markets, and public forums-initially as part of the Bank of Uganda’s financial inclusion work. But gradually, I started getting invited in my personal capacity-on podcasts, radio, and public platforms-to educate people on personal finance in a way that was simple, practical, and relatable.

What stands out are the conversations that happen after I speak. People share their struggles, their mindset shifts, and how they’ve started to make better decisions with money. That feedback keeps me going.

Someone recently told me, ‘I used to save aimlessly. But when you explained saving as soon as income comes in, assigning a percentage, and tying it to a goal, my whole savings habit changed-and I’ve started to see real results.’

Another shared, ‘I always heard about Treasury Bonds, but never knew how to invest. After listening to your podcast, I have been investing for a year-and I’m seeing benefits I never imagined.’

A touching moment was when a woman told me that after listening to one of my talks on planning for children, she and her husband began rethinking how many kids they could afford-not just emotionally, but financially. She was about to compromise her existing children’s education by rushing into a decision they had not planned for. ‘Now I know,’ she said, ‘It is okay to want more children, but I must plan for them-because love is not enough without provision.’

How can someone grow within an organisation or in their own space an entrepreneur?

To succeed-whether within a company or as an entrepreneur-two key principles apply: Be visible and add value. Growth is about showing up, being seen, and positioning yourself where impact is made.

Anticipate needs before others recognise them. Like vendors selling umbrellas before the rain starts, successful people spot opportunities early and act fast.

Create meaningful solutions: Great businesses like Uber and SafeBoda, Amazon were built by people solving everyday inconveniences in smarter, more convenient ways. People are willing to pay for ease and reliability.

Don’t chase trends-build for sustainability: It is easy to enter a market but harder to stay. Long-term success comes from caring about the problem you are solving and staying committed to it.

Monetise your passion: Do what pays, but also work on what you care about. Passion brings the resilience to survive tough times and build something lasting.

Death toll from Rwenzori panga attacks rises to 32

There is heavy deployment of security forces across the Rwenzori Sub-region following last Saturday’s coordinated attacks by panga-wielding assailants that left at least 30 suspected attackers dead and more than 60 others arrested.

The attackers launched simultaneous assaults on military and police installations in Kasese, Bundibugyo, and Fort Portal.

More security personnel have been deployed along the Uganda-Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) border.

The attackers also killed one UPDF officer and a woman at the army detachments of Malindi and Kakuka in Sindira sub-county, Bundibugyo district. They set several soldiers’ houses ablaze before fleeing to an unknown destination.

The coordinated assaults targeted schools such as Nyakasura School and Canon Apollo in Fort Portal City, police barracks on Kilembe Road in Kasese Town, and another police post in Rugendabara-Kikongo Town Council in Kasese District. Also, an undisclosed number of other police officers in Kasese were injured.

The Bundibugyo Resident District Commissioner and head of the district security committee, Maj Jones Mugabirwe, said: ‘We have made several deployments, and additional soldiers have been sent from the Mountain Division Barracks in Muhooti, Fort Portal. The situation is under control now. During the attacks, we did not lose any person from the community.’

He revealed that by yesterday, in the morning, security forces had arrested 15 suspected attackers, while two were killed by security forces on Saturday.

Maj Mugabirwe said preliminary investigations show that some of the arrested suspects are natives of Bundibugyo, Bunyoro, and the DR Congo.

‘We are yet to find out their real motive. Those we arrested told us they were sent to steal guns from the army barracks and to construct a palace for one of the clan leaders in Bundibugyo, known as Mugazi, whom we are yet to arrest. Fortunately, they did not succeed with their mission.’

He said, despite the tension, he reported that learners in the affected areas were able to sit for their Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) under tight security presence. Maj Mugabirwe urged residents who had fled their homes to return, assuring them of continued protection and surveillance across the district.

In Fort Portal City, security forces have maintained a strong presence, especially in North Division, where attackers reportedly attempted to target Nyakasura School and Canon Apollo Core Primary Teachers’ College (PTC).

The attackers were repulsed before reaching the institutions, and since Saturday, security patrols have been intensified both day and night to deter any further threats.

According to security authorities, four attackers were shot dead at the main gate of Canon Apollo Core Primary Teachers’ College (PTC),while two others were killed at Ibonde II Trading Centre, near Bishop Balya College. At Ibonde Trading Centre, on Fort Portal-Bundibugyo Road, two suspects were lynched by a mob.

One of the lynched suspects was pulled out of a vehicle travelling from Bundibugyo and beaten to death by a mob. Security personnel later arrested six more suspects who had been intercepted in vehicles travelling from Bundibugyo.

On November 3, during a joint security meeting for Kabarole District and Fort Portal with head teachers from both government and private schools, authorities urged educational institutions to enhance their internal security.

The Fort Portal North Division Police Commander, Mr Bihembo Pius, said that due to limited manpower, security forces would prioritise deployment in high-risk areas while encouraging schools to hire armed guards.

‘We don’t have enough forces to deploy at every school. If we concentrate only on schools, we shall leave the community vulnerable and exposed to these attackers. We are conducting joint patrols day and night in all areas where we suspect these people could be hiding.’

He added that the police, together with other agencies, are assessing public areas such as markets and bars to determine additional security measures.

‘After our assessment, we shall issue new guidelines regulating the operation of public places and the time they should close. We condemn the mob killings that have occurred. When suspects are killed, we lose valuable information that could help our investigations. Those we have arrested are already helping us with leads.’

The principal of Canon Apollo Core PTC, Mr Hebert Mukasa, said no students or staff were harmed, adding that the situation at the school has since stabilised. ‘Currently, the situation at the school is calm.

However, we request that a permanent army detachment be established near our school because we are surrounded by a swamp where we suspect some of the attackers could be hiding. Such a deployment would enhance security for both our college and Nyakasura School,’ Mr Mukasa said.

The Bukuku Community Secondary School head teacher, Ms Jackline Katuhebwe, confirmed that one of her students on Saturday was arrested by security personnel on suspicion of involvement in the attacks.

‘Our student, Innocent Bwambale, who is in Senior Three, was arrested. We don’t know his whereabouts. He was picked from the garden in the village, and although we reported the matter, we have not received any feedback,’ she said.

Lt Joe Walusimbi, the Kasese RDC, said by yesterday, security operatives had killed 20 suspected attackers, up from nine reported on the first day, and 40 others arrested to assist in investigations. Lt Walusimbi said the situation in Kasese is calm now as people are going about their work.

The Buhuhira Sub-county chairperson, Mr Musale Hudson, said out of the 20 suspected attackers killed in Kasese, four have been identified as residents of his area.

‘These were all adults with families. The community is still shocked that they were involved. People are still angry. On Saturday, they killed two other non-resident suspects who had been intercepted in the area,’ he said.

Speaking during a press briefing in Kampala on Monday, the Uganda Police Force spokesperson, Mr Rusoke Kituuma, said security operations in the Rwenzori sub-region are ongoing, with updates being received daily.

‘As the police spokesperson, I am not yet ready to provide detailed statistics because we are still compiling data from ongoing operations. Security agencies are conducting intensive searches and interrogations, and we are receiving valuable leads…What I can confirm is that several arrests have been made,’ he said.

So now we have to pay Rs. 5 for the bag too?

When ‘eco’ turns into an economy!

From 1 November 2025, Sri Lankans will pay Rs. 3-5 for a simple polythene bag. The message is clear: be eco-friendly, carry your own. The reality is more complicated: eco has quietly become an economy.

For some, ‘eco’ is a cause.

For others, it is a career.

For a growing few, it is a business model built on guilt, premiums, and headlines.

The hidden price of going green

At first glance, the policy sounds logical. Polythene harms the planet, so charging for it might discourage use. But who really gains when a bag that costs a few cents to produce is sold for Rs. 3-5? Supermarkets, manufacturers, and intermediaries pocket the margin, while the consumer pays the guilt-fee. Multiply that by millions of daily transactions and ‘saving the planet’ becomes a tidy revenue stream.

The practical problem nobody talks about

In theory, we should all carry reusable bags. In practice, life is messy. You do not carry a shopping bag to a wedding, a meeting, or a school event. On your way home you stop at a grocery store for milk and vegetables… Are we expected to keep a cloth bag in every car, handbag, backpack, and pocket? These ideas sound neat on policy papers but crumble in daily life. Behaviourally, when convenience clashes with conscience, convenience almost always wins. That is not a moral failure; it is how the brain weighs effort and reward.

Good intentions, wrong directions?

Some may say, ‘We have to start from somewhere.’ True, but a step in the wrong direction still moves us away from the goal. Bans and taxes without affordable alternatives do not solve problems; they shift the burden to ordinary people. If environmental reform is meant to help the planet, it must also be practical, fair, and inclusive. Not just symbolic.

The ‘eco’ paradox

Walk into any supermarket and you will see eco labels everywhere: paper straws, glass bottles, cloth totes, ‘biodegradable’ boxes… nearly all priced higher. Eco has become a status symbol. It lets brands charge premiums while customers get a small moral dopamine hit. But when you examine the numbers, plastic still has no cheaper or better rival for many everyday uses.

Plastic needs far less energy to make than glass or paper.

A PET bottle weighs around one twentieth of a glass bottle, which means significant fuel savings in transport.

Paper bags, meanwhile, typically require more water and energy to produce and generate higher emissions than thin polythene

The optics are green, the arithmetic is not.

PET vs. glass – the price of perception

Consider bottled beverages. A juice in PET might sell at Rs. 180. Repackage the same juice in glass and watch the price jump to Rs. 400 or more. Why? Because it looks eco and premium. Yet most of those glass bottles are not collected or refilled in Sri Lanka at scale; they end up in landfills, where they take centuries to degrade. Meanwhile, a closed loop PET system can recover a large share of bottles using far less energy than producing, transporting, and discarding glass. Which, then, is truly sustainable? Lightweight PET with robust collection, or heavy glass with a higher price and a higher footprint per trip?

True sustainability does not mean replacing plastic with materials that are costlier, heavier, or water intensive. It means re-engineering systems so the lightest, most efficient materials are captured and cycled. Reward companies that design for recycling and prove recovery rates. Expand buy back points in neighbourhoods. Support waste to value projects that turn post-consumer plastic into roads, tiles, or fuel. Publish dashboards so citizens can see what last month’s collections became. Visible feedback turns reluctant compliance into proud participation

Paper straw vs. plastic straw – the cost that doubles

The paper straw is a textbook case of sentiment over sense. On a hot day, or if you sip slowly, the paper straw softens and collapses before you finish. You ask for another. The cost just doubled, and the resources did too. Two straws, two wrappers, two supply chain journeys, only to deliver a worse experience. Multiply that across cafés and cinemas, and the ‘eco’ choice quietly becomes a resource heavy choice with a premium price tag. The plastic straw, by contrast, does its job reliably at a fraction of the cost and also with a lower carbon footprint.

The vehicle accident analogy

If road accidents rise, we do not ban vehicles or charge a fee to discourage vehicles from entering the roads to reduce accidents. We improve roads, train drivers, and enforce rules. Environmental policy should follow the same logic: fix systems, not just products. Instead of innovating collection, sorting, and reuse, we ban and tax the most visible items because that makes for easy press releases. It is like blaming the driver for the potholes.

Who profits from the Rs. 3-5 bag?

The bag levy is often marketed as moral progress. In reality, it transfers value from consumers to retailers and suppliers unless it is transparently ring fenced for waste management. If every rupee collected funded visible, audited recycling upgrades bins, balers, buy back centres, the public would see the point and support it. Without that, the charge feels like a small, daily penalty on ordinary life.

When ‘eco’ becomes a career

An entire industry now profits from saving the planet: consultants, lobbyists, certifiers, workshop organisers, campaign agencies. That does not make them villains. It does explain why the narrative often favours visible, premium, consumer side fixes over tougher, upstream engineering. If the planet were magically fixed tomorrow, how many eco jobs would still exist? The question itself is revealing.

Plastic, paper, and the emotions of guilt

The war on plastic is also a war in the mind. Behavioural neuroscience calls it moral licensing: buy an eco-labelled product and the brain rewards you with dopamine. That is why people proudly accept a paper bag or paper straw even when the experience is worse and the total resources multiply. Eco has become a comfort product for the conscience. The feeling can be real even when the impact is small.

What a better solution looks like

True sustainability does not mean replacing plastic with materials that are costlier, heavier, or water intensive. It means re-engineering systems so the lightest, most efficient materials are captured and cycled. Reward companies that design for recycling and prove recovery rates. Expand buy back points in neighbourhoods. Support waste to value projects that turn post-consumer plastic into roads, tiles, or fuel. Publish dashboards so citizens can see what last month’s collections became. Visible feedback turns reluctant compliance into proud participation.

Start from somewhere… Start with systems

Yes, we should start from somewhere. Start with systems we can scale: collection, segregation, local processing, and market incentives. Start by ring fencing the bag charge for audited recycling infrastructure, not as a quiet markup. Start by aligning convenience with conscience so the brain does not have to choose between what feels right and what fits real life.

The way forward

Plastic pollution is real. Pretending that expensive alternatives fix it is wishful thinking.

At this moment, there is no better, cheaper, or more practical substitute for plastic for many everyday uses.

We do not fix accidents by banning cars; we fix the system around them. Likewise, we will not save the planet by banning polythene bags while selling imported glass bottles at triple the price and calling it eco. Real change will come when eco is efficient, affordable, and convenient. When it becomes the default choice rather than a luxury statement.

ICCSL-RKMT proposes smarter tax policies, modern administration for Budget 2026

Proposal 1: Tax Credit for Digitalisation and Compliance Investment. This measure encourages enterprises, particularly small and medium-sized businesses, to modernise their operations through technology. RKMT proposes a two-year tax credit of up to 25% for investments in e-invoicing systems, ERP platforms, certified accounting software, and cybersecurity tools.

The move is designed to reward firms that invest in accuracy, transparency, and efficiency, strengthening the foundation for digital audits and real-time reporting. By reducing manual processes and data errors, this initiative will also help bridge the gap between taxpayers and administrators.

‘Every rupee spent on digital compliance is an investment in national integrity,’ RKMT notes. ‘This is not just an incentive, it’s a signal that Sri Lanka is ready for a new era of digital governance.’

Proposal 2: Simplified Service Economy Tax Framework

Recognising the rapid rise of freelancers, consultants, IT professionals, and creative entrepreneurs, RKMT calls for a Simplified Service Economy Tax Framework that brings these vital sectors into the formal economy without the usual complexity or fear of penalties.

Under this framework, small-scale service providers with annual turnover below Rs. 20 million can voluntarily register and pay a presumptive tax rate of 3-5% on their gross receipts. The proposal also encourages automatic tax withholding through e-payment platforms and banks, making compliance nearly effortless.

This approach not only expands the tax net but also reduces enforcement costs and creates fairness between formal and informal operators. More importantly, it acknowledges the contribution of digital workers and service entrepreneurs to Sri Lanka’s future economy.

Proposal 3: Integrated Taxpayer Record Tracking Dashboard

To transform how taxes are administered, RKMT recommends the creation of an Integrated Taxpayer Record Tracking Dashboard, a unified, digital interface that consolidates taxpayer information across all tax types.

This dashboard would provide real-time tracking of a taxpayer’s registration, filing, payment, audit, and refund status, accessible through a secure online portal. By integrating with national databases, the system would reduce duplication, improve accuracy, and increase transparency cutting through the red tape that often frustrates both taxpayers and administrators.

‘Transparency is not only about accountability; it’s about restoring trust,’ RKMT states. ‘When taxpayers can see where they stand, compliance stops being a mystery and becomes a shared responsibility.’ The RKMT’s proposals go beyond technical fixes. They form part of a broader vision for a modern, digital, and inclusive tax culture, one that encourages compliance through simplicity rather than coercion.

The committee has expressed its readiness to work closely with the Ministry of Finance, the Department of Inland Revenue, and other stakeholders to refine and implement these ideas in the 2026 Budget.

As the country moves through fiscal recovery and digital transformation, RKMT urges policymakers to think beyond short-term revenue targets and focus on building long-term trust and efficiency in the tax system.

‘Sri Lanka’s next economic leap will not come from more taxes, it will come from better taxation,’ RKMT concluded. ‘We stand ready to support a 2026 Budget that is fair, forward-looking, and focused on empowering every honest taxpayer.’

ICC Paris has informed ICC Sri Lanka that they are willing to help the Sri Lankan Government on the digitalisation and the support extended by ICC.