Authorities in Amudat district have not yet released the 560 million shillings that was meant to benefit the EMYOOGA SACCOs groups to enhance wealth creation for households.
It’s now two years since the Emyooga program was kicked off across the country, however Amudat district is still struggling with the program and the beneficiaries are yet to receive their funds.
Betty Akello Otekat, the Amudat Resident District Commissioner said that they delayed disbursing the money to the beneficiaries because the groups were not organized and were unprepared to receive the funds.
Akello observed that the communities were not sensitized enough to understand the value of the program and how they should utilize the money when given out.
According to her, they have so far certified 35 SACCO groups and 168 Enterprises as being ready to receive money once they meet all the requirements. She also urged leaders to do more in sensitization because it seems the information about Emyooga is still scarce in the community.
‘’At the moment I’m happy that the groups have elected their executives, we are now doing some sensitization before giving out money,’’ Akello said.
She also revealed that the commercial officer who would help to implement the program is still new in the office and not well versed with the operational systems.
Akello confirmed that the district is holding 560 million shillings to benefit all the registered and certified Emyooga group SACCOs.
Joseph Lobot, the district chairperson noted that it was unfortunate that the money was released soon after the elections and people thought the money was an appreciation from the president.
Lobot observed that the money came in at the time the new leadership just resumed the offices after the elections and no one bothered to organize the beneficiaries.
‘’The money appeared to be political, people perceived that the money was a presidential handshake and no one sensitized them on how the money should be utilized,’’ Lobot said.
He noted that due to lack of knowledge about the program, some individuals used the opportunity to formulate their ghost groups so they could obtain the money.
Lobot revealed that the groups which were formed before were all canceled because there were irregularities and new beneficiary groups were formed.
Meanwhile in Kotido district, the authorities are yet to recover money from the eighteen Emyooga SACCOs that received the funds from 2020 to 2021.
Francis Obita, the senior district commercial officer for Kotido district, told URN that they received 560 million shillings in December 2020 and the money was disbursed to the eighteen registered SACCO groups.
Obita said each SAACO group received 30 million shillings except for the Elders association which received 50 million shillings. He says it is unfortunate that most of the groups that received money have gone mute and none of them is thinking of repaying back the money nor making any savings.
Obita confirmed that most of the group accounts in the bank are nearly cashless while others have since been closed.
The presidential Initiative on Job creation was launched in August 2019 as part of the broad government strategy to transform the homesteads from subsistence to market orientated production with the overall objective of improving household income.
