The 3rd cooperative strategic research on resilience launched, cooperators advised on mindset change

KAMPALA – The Uhuru Institute for Social Development (TUI) recorded another milestone after successfully launching the third strategic research report on cooperative resilience.

The research conducted in 2020 titled “Upholding Cooperative Identity as a Crucial Determinant of Cooperative Resilience in Uganda” was officially launched on Tuesday, 15th March,2022 at Sheraton Hotel in Kampala.

According to Leonard Okello, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), TUI was registered in 2013 to look for ways to work with Ugandans on how to generate wealth as a team.

“It was a dream on how best we can generate wealth together and beyond the capacity of self-reliance, self-help and working together. So, we started this journey in 2013,” Okello said.

He further said, the first research report in 2013 introduced the institution to understand how much Ugandans needed the cooperative movement to get revamped.

“We went around the country to confirm a report we had released in 2013 of which 98% of the people we met were yearning to get viable cooperatives once more. And because of that, we continued to do some research and released it in 2018 which provided a thinking about the status of cooperatives in Uganda and then the study which we are launching now,” Okello explained.

He also said, the cooperative resilience research report has measured the impact the cooperatives have on the country and improvement on the cooperative movement in Uganda.

“Now that we are done with research on cooperative resilience, we are set to launch technology intended to track the performance of cooperatives in Uganda. We will avail you with a software called Coop Profiler which shall be used to get these measurements,” says Okello.

In his remarks, Eng Danstan Kisuule, the Board Chair of TUI appealed to the cooperatives to get good use of the data captured in the research book.

“Fellow cooperators I urge all of you, and especially the Ministry of Trade Industry and Cooperatives(MAAIF) to take the findings of this study very seriously in guiding our wealth creation agenda of our beloved country,” Kisuule emphasized.

Through this research, Kisuule says it should be in position to change the mindset goals of cooperators in Uganda.

“We must address the mind-set change as our top priority, if these thousands of cooperatives should create wealth in this country. Most of these collapsing cooperatives are as a result of the wrong mind-set of the members who only form them to attract external money from NGOs, donors, politicians, and especially the government of Uganda. But this research is one in a series of many others already completed and yet to come that address the mind-set of Ugandans towards building a truly purpose driven cooperative movement,” Kisuule explained.

Jane Amuge Okello, the Principal Investigator says, findings from the research indicate that cooperators’ powers are usurped by the managers due to lack of awareness.

“We have noticed that members are in chains and some managers have taken over the business of the cooperatives where they think that without the manager, there is no business for the cooperative,” Amuge said.

Hon Frederick Ngobi Gume, the State Minister for Cooperatives welcomed the well-researched report conducted on cooperatives saying that it will be purposeful to his ministry.

“I am extremely happy to be here, first of all the research is going to help me in my office and my officers to equally analyze the resilience and be able to measure how predictable the cooperatives are,” Ngobi said.

“I take Uhuru to be an eye opener yet some people think there is a conflict of interest. But you cannot always be sending off somebody who is giving you a pointer that there is a problem. It would be silly for me to sit in my office and say the priorities don’t allow me to go and inaugurate this report because I am going to use it, instead we should be partners,” he added.

The State Minister further agreed with the research findings saying, most cooperators have given up their roles to the management which could see many collapsing.

“It is touching to see a cooperative meeting once in a year and assigning its responsibilities to the Board but also the Board is surrendering their responsibilities to the manager and the managers now seem to be walking with the whole cooperative in their briefcases which is dangerous in the cooperative movement,” Ngobi explained.

However, he challenged Uhuru to also tackle the issue of strategic planning in the cooperative movement where most cooperators money is unaccounted.

“I would also like to inform you in your report that the cooperators have strategic plans and they have work plans but there is a problem. Once the work plan is approved follow it too, because now you are listening to the real cooperators on the ground instead of just opening their work plans in a book,” the Minister said.

“Like an incident happened last month, when conmen realized that the government was releasing compensation money, they went and designed a telephone contact similar to that of the ministry and rang the manager and chairman of the board to send Shs 2m to process visa fees and passport to go to South Africa and he did within five minutes. Now was this money budgeted for in their work plan? Do you think in your survey you would find the budget of a cooperative that the chairperson of the union or society shall be going to South Africa? Ngobi severally asked.

https://thecooperator.news/nebbi-district-to-host-west-nile-investment-summit-in-march-19-2022/

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MPs demand for the President’s intervention into the Bukinda evictees’ concerns

KIKUUBE – The Kikuube district Members of Parliament(MPs) have demanded that President Museveni intervenes in the misery of the Bukinda evictees who are currently camped at the office of Kikuube Resident District Commissioner (RDC) demanding to be resettled onto their land.

More than 1,500 people who have camped at the RDC’s office for three weeks now are part of the people from Bukinda Parish Kyangwali sub-county Kikuube district who were allegedly evicted from their land by the Prime Minister’s Office in 2013.

They are part of the 10,000 people from Bukinda parish in Kyangwali sub-county, Kikuube district who were settled on an eight square miles piece of land in Kyeeya and Busanga villages in Kasonga Parish following their forceful eviction from their land in Bukinda Parish by the Prime Minister’s Office.

The residents said that each family was given 2.5 acres but the residents continue to protest their relocation on grounds that they were relocated on someone’s land with titles and the land is a semi-arid and cannot support farming.

The dispute on this land started in 2010 after the Office of the Prime Minister and natives (host communities) after they all started claiming the ownership of the same land allegedly measuring 35,000 acres.

They were from 31 villages that included; Bukinda A and B, Bukinda 2, Kavule, Bwizibwera A and B, Kyeya A and B, Nyaruhanga, Kabirizi, Nyamigisa A and B and Katoma among others.

In 2016, President Museveni ordered for the resettlement of the evictees back to their lands. But, the directives were not respected since officials at OPM Kyangwali continued to allocate the land to Congolese refugees on the disputed land.

The residents claim that in 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown, officials from OPM decided to resettle the affected persons in Kyeeya village in Kasonga Parish, on a piece of land which is being claimed by some individuals.

In December 2021, Nabbanja Robinah, Uganda’sPrime Minister halted the resettlement of the Congolese refugees on the disputed land and promised to organize a meeting between the evictees, area leaders and OPM to get a lasting solution to the problem.

The residents who include old women with children, old men and women stormed the RDC’s office and have been sleeping under trees in someone’s plot of land near the office of RDC to date.

Led by the Chairman LCII for Kasonga Parish, James Sanyu, who is also a victim; he accuses the OPM officials in Kyangwali of continuing to settle Congolese refugees on to their land despite the Prime Minister Nabbanja’s directives halting the process.

He noted that they need to be resettled back on their land adding that they were relocated on someone’s land with titles and the land is a semi-arid and can’t grow any things.

He noted the Prime Minister’s meeting has delayed adding that people are starving and others are dying of hunger due to lack of food and demanded immediate intervention.

Dorotiya Muzuka, a 60-year-old and mother of six children and Celia Bonabaana says, they lost their livelihoods as result of the eviction.

Muzuka explained that she lost over five acres of land with cocoa, coffee and a banana plantation during the eviction and demanded to be resettled back since the land where they were relocated is unfavourable for farming.

Francis Kazini, the Member of Parliament for Buhaguzi County blamed the suffering of the people on the officials who failed to implement the directive of the presidents.

The MPs who met the evictees at RDC’s office said, there is a need for the President to intervene and save the people from the suffering they are going through.

Kazini demanded that if the government cannot settle back the evictees in their land, they should compensate them so that they can buy land elsewhere or buy for them a good land that can support farming.

He noted that as leaders they cannot continue seeing people suffer as if they are not Ugandans and vowed to move and camp at the Statehouse if the duty bearers continue to keep a deaf ear to their concerns.

RDC Tumusiime expressed concern about the suffering of the people adding that currently the evictees at his office have no water, food and sanitary facilities.

“We don’t have necessary facilities in place to accommodate them; we do not have water sources so it is every big problem, it is a crisis which needs government’s attention. As an RDC, I wrote to my boss and I told them of what is happening and I hope to receive communication from them any time but I can say the situation here is not pleasing,” he said.

Fred Mbambali, one of the five people claiming ownership of Kyeeya land said, the government settled people on his land and demanded that they should vacate his land or else they should compensate him.

Mbambali and his colleagues who include Livingston Twazagye, Godfrey Timuriho, Tayebwa Seth Bukagate and Peter Taremwa acquired the land measuring more than three square miles in 1998 and processed the title in 2018.

He noted that he is currently stranded with his cows after they forcefully settled the residents of his land adding that when he attempts to use his land they arrest him.

https://thecooperator.news/kikuube-district-receives-shs1-billion-supplementary-budget-support/

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Lango disabled persons receive 700 wheelchairs and walking sticks and frames

LIRA – Community Focus International (CFI), a community-based organization in Lira City has donated a total of 700 assistive devices to persons with disability to ease mobility, participation in community activities and promote inclusion of disabled persons.

The devices which include; wheelchairs, walking sticks and walking frames were given to disabled persons in Lira and Oyam districts including Lira City.

“All these are aimed at supporting persons with disability with their mobility, how to walk around, go to school, businesses and to church,” says Isaac Abor, Associate Director and Occupational Therapist.

Beside the donation, they trained the group in saving and encouraged them to form Village Saving and Loan Associations (VSLA) and also supported them with piglets which is one of the ways to empower them economically.

Abor further said they have supported the category with piglets where they are able to raise them and when the pig produces, they pass it to the next person.

“As Community Focus International (CFI) after giving out these system devices, that is not the end of it, we continue to follow up to see how it is bringing changes in the lives,” he says.

He revealed that in Oyam district, since they started in 2017 they have donated 280 wheelchairs and 120 walking sticks.

“When we do all these, we also include their family members even if they are not persons with disabilities because we want them to be supported on their own,” he adds.

Persons with physical disabilities and mobility challenges face serious challenges in accessing most of the public buildings and roads due to lack of ramps, lifts, rails etc.

According to the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU), this denies them the right to movement, living independently in communities and contributes to exclusion from participation in community activities.

Abor added that they are working with a partner, Sufficiency of Scripture Ministries based in Luwero district and that they have started fabricating the device locally.

“Currently, we have started manufacturing wheelchairs for children because it is the one in high demand but it is in our plan to also start manufacturing wheelchairs for adults,” he said.

He also said, as CFI they have started an initiative to fabricate the devices locally because they have workshops and have trained technical persons able to design and manufacture wheelchairs.

https://thecooperator.news/deposit-protection-fund-donates-items-worth-shs-20-million-to-st-jude-orphanage/

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Lango disabled persons receive 700 wheelchairs and walking sticks and frames

LIRA – Community Focus International (CFI), a community-based organization in Lira City has donated a total of 700 assistive devices to persons with disability to ease mobility, participation in community activities and promote inclusion of disabled persons.

The devices which include; wheelchairs, walking sticks and walking frames were given to disabled persons in Lira and Oyam districts including Lira City.

“All these are aimed at supporting persons with disability with their mobility, how to walk around, go to school, businesses and to church,” says Isaac Abor, Associate Director and Occupational Therapist.

Beside the donation, they trained the group in saving and encouraged them to form Village Saving and Loan Associations (VSLA) and also supported them with piglets which is one of the ways to empower them economically.

Abor further said they have supported the category with piglets where they are able to raise them and when the pig produces, they pass it to the next person.

“As Community Focus International (CFI) after giving out these system devices, that is not the end of it, we continue to follow up to see how it is bringing changes in the lives,” he says.

He revealed that in Oyam district, since they started in 2017 they have donated 280 wheelchairs and 120 walking sticks.

“When we do all these, we also include their family members even if they are not persons with disabilities because we want them to be supported on their own,” he adds.

Persons with physical disabilities and mobility challenges face serious challenges in accessing most of the public buildings and roads due to lack of ramps, lifts, rails etc.

According to the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU), this denies them the right to movement, living independently in communities and contributes to exclusion from participation in community activities.

Abor added that they are working with a partner, Sufficiency of Scripture Ministries based in Luwero district and that they have started fabricating the device locally.

“Currently, we have started manufacturing wheelchairs for children because it is the one in high demand but it is in our plan to also start manufacturing wheelchairs for adults,” he said.

He also said, as CFI they have started an initiative to fabricate the devices locally because they have workshops and have trained technical persons able to design and manufacture wheelchairs.

https://thecooperator.news/deposit-protection-fund-donates-items-worth-shs-20-million-to-st-jude-orphanage/

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Kikuube district receives Shs1 billion supplementary budget support

KIKUUBE – Kikuube district local government leaders are excited over its supplementary budget support worth Shs1 billion that the government disbursed to the district accounts.

Kikuube district council in last week’s council meeting approved a supplementary budget for the Financial Year 2021/22.

According to the supplementary budget that Opio Vicente, the leader of government business presented to the council; it indicated that the funds that the district received include Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfer Program (UGFIT) funding of Shs 846m and unspent balance of Shs 100 million for Kikuube district education department.

According to Opio, in the last financial year, the government returned Shs 100 million from the district account to the national treasury which money was rotational for Nyairongo Seed School that is under construction.

He added that the money was reimbursed to the district account to help the district complete the construction of the school.

The district also received Shs 23.5m under Bunyoro Affairs Micro Projects Support that was recently initiated by President Museveni to help the people of Bunyoro create jobs and wealth so that they can move out of poverty.

The district also received Shs 198.5m under Albertine Region Sustainable Development Project (ARSDP).

He noted that the Shs 1 billion was not part of their budget and appealed to the council to approve the budget since it is in accordance with section 25(2) of the Public Finance Management (amended) Act, 2015.

After his presentation, the councillors unanimously approved a supplementary budget saying that it was going to help in improving service delivery.

The counsellors argued that the Kikuube district Financial Year 2021/22 budget is Shs 36.83 billion adding that the support of Shs1,168,645,609, is a big boost to the district.

Peter Banura, the district Chairman said, sectors to benefit from the funds are; education, health, natural resources, water, works and community department.

He added that with the supplementary budget support, the district is going to rehabilitate and construct 70 km roads in different parts of the district.

He further noted that the district has been grappling with poor road network hence with support under ARSDP, the roads are going to be improved and help the local person to access social amenities such as markets, health facilities and schools among others.

Suzan Kabasindi, the Kikuube district councillor for Buhimba Town Council said, the budget support has come at the right time when the district is grappling with inadequate funds to offer service to the people.

She noted that three roads that include; Buhimba-Kizinga – Kimpongo road, Kihabwemi-Kigaya –Ibanda-karama road will be constructed in her constituency.

https://thecooperator.news/itek-okile-cooperative-recruits-400-new-members-after-probe-on-shs-52b/

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Kikuube district receives Shs1 billion supplementary budget support

KIKUUBE – Kikuube district local government leaders are excited over its supplementary budget support worth Shs1 billion that the government disbursed to the district accounts.

Kikuube district council in last week’s council meeting approved a supplementary budget for the Financial Year 2021/22.

According to the supplementary budget that Opio Vicente, the leader of government business presented to the council; it indicated that the funds that the district received include Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfer Program (UGFIT) funding of Shs 846m and unspent balance of Shs 100 million for Kikuube district education department.

According to Opio, in the last financial year, the government returned Shs 100 million from the district account to the national treasury which money was rotational for Nyairongo Seed School that is under construction.

He added that the money was reimbursed to the district account to help the district complete the construction of the school.

The district also received Shs 23.5m under Bunyoro Affairs Micro Projects Support that was recently initiated by President Museveni to help the people of Bunyoro create jobs and wealth so that they can move out of poverty.

The district also received Shs 198.5m under Albertine Region Sustainable Development Project (ARSDP).

He noted that the Shs 1 billion was not part of their budget and appealed to the council to approve the budget since it is in accordance with section 25(2) of the Public Finance Management (amended) Act, 2015.

After his presentation, the councillors unanimously approved a supplementary budget saying that it was going to help in improving service delivery.

The counsellors argued that the Kikuube district Financial Year 2021/22 budget is Shs 36.83 billion adding that the support of Shs1,168,645,609, is a big boost to the district.

Peter Banura, the district Chairman said, sectors to benefit from the funds are; education, health, natural resources, water, works and community department.

He added that with the supplementary budget support, the district is going to rehabilitate and construct 70 km roads in different parts of the district.

He further noted that the district has been grappling with poor road network hence with support under ARSDP, the roads are going to be improved and help the local person to access social amenities such as markets, health facilities and schools among others.

Suzan Kabasindi, the Kikuube district councillor for Buhimba Town Council said, the budget support has come at the right time when the district is grappling with inadequate funds to offer service to the people.

She noted that three roads that include; Buhimba-Kizinga – Kimpongo road, Kihabwemi-Kigaya –Ibanda-karama road will be constructed in her constituency.

https://thecooperator.news/itek-okile-cooperative-recruits-400-new-members-after-probe-on-shs-52b/

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Deposit protection fund donates items worth Shs 20 million to St. Jude Orphanage

GULU – The Deposit Protection Fund of Uganda (DPFU), a government agency that works in partnership with the various commercial banks in the country has donated items worth Shs 20 million to St. Jude Orphanage in Gulu district.

The items which were handed over to Archbishop John Baptist Odama on Friday included; 50 mattresses, 50 bed sheets and a commercial washing machine to support the vulnerable children in the centre.

About 20 children are being accommodated and supported at the St. Jude orphanage home.

The records indicate that the center has more than 180 children, most of whom were abandoned on the roadside, hospital and rubbish pits and were brought for care.

The Centre Manager, Josephine Ogweta told theCooperator in an interview that the centre is financially constrained.

He revealed that many of the partners who were supporting the centre turned away after the death of Brother Elio Groce, the Director of the foundation who succumbed to Covid 19 in November 2020.

The Chairman Board of the Orphanage Fr. Lawrence Michael Komakech says the organization is struggling to identify potential donors and tracing those who were directly supporting them through the late Fr. Elio.

“It hasn’t been easy after his departure but we believe that another door will open for the continuity of the organization,” Fr. Lawrence told theCooperator.

Though he could not give a distinction on the financial crisis the organization is grappling with, he only noted that funding has drastically dwindled from more than Shs 100 million previously to less than Shs 70 million of the annual budgets.

He also revealed that the organization has acquired close to 300 hectares of land in Nwoya district at Koch Amar for food crop production to mitigate the crisis.

“We don’t know when the donors will come but the most important thing is that we have learnt and we need to sustain our operation through farming,” he added.

Fr. Lawrence further revealed that whereas most of the children are abandoned due to domestic issues, few are children born in captivity who could not trace their origins and were denied by their closest relatives.

Helen Akidi Ojok, a psychosocial worker in the organization revealed that about 20 children are between 15 to 18 years.

Akidi explained that the children at that age should have been integrated to the community but that it is impossible as parents have continued to deny them for resettlement and rehabilitation.

Her counterpart Grace Akello described the situation as unfortunate for the society to deny their own children space for integration and resettlement.

“Some of them were brought to this centre from day one but now they have grown up and they keep asking for who their parents are and their whereabouts yet we can’t offer answers,” Akello recounts.

Mrs. Julia Clare Oyet, the Chief Executive Officer of the Deposit Protection Fund of Uganda told theCooperator in an interview that the centre was identified based on its vulnerability as resources dwindled for their continuous operations.

“We were concerned about the impact of the last devastating armed conflict and we saw this centre from its vulnerability and we couldn’t deny supporting it with the little we could,” Oyet explained.

She revealed that the support is part of the Shs 50 million annual budgets of the Social and Corporate Responsibility (CSR) to the community.

She further explained that Shs 30 million has been allocated to Mbale district to improve water and sanitation in the district.

Archbishop John Baptist Odama commended the support and appealed to the development partners to invest in the orphanage through provision of care to those who are regarded as underprivileged in the society.

https://thecooperator.news/itek-okile-cooperative-recruits-400-new-members-after-probe-on-shs-52b/

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Nebbi district to host West Nile Investment Summit in March 19, 2022

NEBBI – Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) has identified Nebbi district to host the West Nile Investment Summit scheduled to take place on 19th March,2022 at Nyaravur -Angal Town Council.

The agenda for the West Nile Investment Summit is to discuss the domestic investors’ perspectives in regards to National Development Goals (NDGs) geared towards boosting the economy and sustainable wealth creations and employment opportunities to all Ugandans.

According to (UIA) Communication Officer, Mr. Davide Rupiny, the discussants on domestic investors’ perspective are drawn from all the 13th districts across the West Nile region who are the upcoming investors shaping the development of the country.

He adds that UIA randomly identified the following local investors in the region to discuss the domestic investors’ perspective, Mr. Bob Oyoma of Oyoma General Stores, Ms Hope Ann Anguyo, Mr Emmanuel Amaza – Zawadi Construction Works, Okaba Vincent -of Rock Global Oil limited, Okoro Coffee Union and Mr Taban Idro of KK Transporters all will be moderated by Mr Charles Odongtho.

“It’s a golden investment opportunity to the whole West Nile region and the neighbouring countries like DR-Congo and Southern Sudan who will benefit from the industrial park that the government has earmarked for construction that is yet to be launched,” Rupiny said.

He says other dignitaries to attend the summit are highly profiled government representatives who will include; the State Minister for Investment and Privatization Ms Evelyn Anite, the State Minister for Northern Uganda, Hon Grace Kwiocwiny, the Executive Director Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) and the third Deputy Prime Minister Rt. Hon. (Rtd) Gen. Moses Ali among others.

He adds that West Nile Investment Summit and the launch of the industrial park in Nebbi district will be at the site in Ovoru village, Nyaravur -Angal Town Council in Nebbi district where the community donated more than 500 acres of land for the construction of the industrial park last year.

Hon Urombi Emmanuel, the Chairman for Nebbi district says, the keynote address at the summit will be shared by the State Minister for Privatization and Investment, Hon Evelyn Anite and thereafter the official opening and launch of West Nile industrial and business park.

Urombi says the development is now with us and it’s the right time youths and any other energetic persons to get ready for the development to avoid blame games in future.

“The development has come at the right time. We need to take our children to school to avoid blame games that may arise from our youths that they are not being employed,” Urombi said.

Bernard Okumu, one of the youths says, though the government is doing its best to develop the country, the local investors who are job creators at the local level have failed to progress due to heavy taxations being levied on their locally produced products which needs to be addressed.

“The government needs to give tax holidays to our local investors who are the job creators at the local level. They are indigenous so they know the problem of their people,” Okumu said.

https://thecooperator.news/gulu-city-councilors-petition-president-museveni-over-delayed-remittance-of-local-revenue/

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Reconstruction of Tochi Irrigation Scheme resumes in Oyam district

OYAM – After farmers counted losses and deserted the Tochi Irrigation Scheme in Oyam district due to over flooding, Ministry of Water and Environment has recalled the firm which was undertaking the construction works to correct the defects.

The construction of a Shs 28b irrigation scheme to promote rice growing rendered the beneficiaries unconvinced after the contractor abandoned the site over unclear circumstances sparking off public outburst.

Its construction started in 2016 with funding from African Development Bank (ADB) strictly to boost rice farming, improve food security and fish farming. It was set to benefit 1,000 farmers from Acaba, Minakulu and Ngai sub-counties.

But farmers under their umbrella, Tochi Rice Growers’ Cooperative Society suffered a setback after some of their rice fields were submerged into water and crops swept off.

Richard Anyuru, the mobilizer of the scheme says the contractor, Ambitious Construction Company in joint venture with HV Devoc International have returned and started correcting defects which include; bush clearing, destroying anthills and opening channels which was not done.

He says with the new development, as Tochi Rice Growers’ Cooperative Society, the members have increased to 800 and are waiting for the completion of the scheme and kicked off planting for the first season.

“There were challenges in the construction work and the contractor has been recalled and has started work,” he said.

Anyuru says the cooperative has just completed only one year and they want every rice grower to register under the cooperative. Membership and registration fees according to Ayuru is Shs 60,000.

“You register at Shs 10, 000 and buy shares starting from Shs 50,000 and above if you are willing to be a fully recognized member,” he said.

The Acaba LC3 Chairperson, Charles Amuge said that as a leader, he was sidelined and denied opportunity to secure a plot in the scheme and had not been furnished with the information about the cooperative.

He further said when he demanded for a plot for rice growing, he was instructed to pay Shs 80,000, a move which he rejected.

“There are so many issues in that scheme and as a leader I completely don’t have any information about the scheme and the cooperative,” he said.

Last year, a total of 1,200 acres were apportioned and allocated to farmers but only 621 picked up and planted.

Efforts to reach Richard Cong, the Chairperson of Tochi Rice Growers’ Cooperative society to throw more light on the cooperative were futile as he didn’t pick our calls.

Chris Ongom, the district LC5 Councilor of Acaba said, though farmers experienced challenges last year, this year there is hope that they will start gaining.

“Under the cooperative, the government will open fields for the farmers and offer seeds for planting and lastly the scheme was constructed and handed over to farmers,” Ongom says.

He says, he interacted with many farmers and confessed that though some of them suffered a setback but there were people who reaped big.

https://thecooperator.news/gulu-city-councilors-petition-president-museveni-over-delayed-remittance-of-local-revenue/

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Reconstruction of Tochi Irrigation Scheme resumes in Oyam district

OYAM – After farmers counted losses and deserted the Tochi Irrigation Scheme in Oyam district due to over flooding, Ministry of Water and Environment has recalled the firm which was undertaking the construction works to correct the defects.

The construction of a Shs 28b irrigation scheme to promote rice growing rendered the beneficiaries unconvinced after the contractor abandoned the site over unclear circumstances sparking off public outburst.

Its construction started in 2016 with funding from African Development Bank (ADB) strictly to boost rice farming, improve food security and fish farming. It was set to benefit 1,000 farmers from Acaba, Minakulu and Ngai sub-counties.

But farmers under their umbrella, Tochi Rice Growers’ Cooperative Society suffered a setback after some of their rice fields were submerged into water and crops swept off.

Richard Anyuru, the mobilizer of the scheme says the contractor, Ambitious Construction Company in joint venture with HV Devoc International have returned and started correcting defects which include; bush clearing, destroying anthills and opening channels which was not done.

He says with the new development, as Tochi Rice Growers’ Cooperative Society, the members have increased to 800 and are waiting for the completion of the scheme and kicked off planting for the first season.

“There were challenges in the construction work and the contractor has been recalled and has started work,” he said.

Anyuru says the cooperative has just completed only one year and they want every rice grower to register under the cooperative. Membership and registration fees according to Ayuru is Shs 60,000.

“You register at Shs 10, 000 and buy shares starting from Shs 50,000 and above if you are willing to be a fully recognized member,” he said.

The Acaba LC3 Chairperson, Charles Amuge said that as a leader, he was sidelined and denied opportunity to secure a plot in the scheme and had not been furnished with the information about the cooperative.

He further said when he demanded for a plot for rice growing, he was instructed to pay Shs 80,000, a move which he rejected.

“There are so many issues in that scheme and as a leader I completely don’t have any information about the scheme and the cooperative,” he said.

Last year, a total of 1,200 acres were apportioned and allocated to farmers but only 621 picked up and planted.

Efforts to reach Richard Cong, the Chairperson of Tochi Rice Growers’ Cooperative society to throw more light on the cooperative were futile as he didn’t pick our calls.

Chris Ongom, the district LC5 Councilor of Acaba said, though farmers experienced challenges last year, this year there is hope that they will start gaining.

“Under the cooperative, the government will open fields for the farmers and offer seeds for planting and lastly the scheme was constructed and handed over to farmers,” Ongom says.

He says, he interacted with many farmers and confessed that though some of them suffered a setback but there were people who reaped big.

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