Government Allocates Shs.48 Billion to Creative and Music Industry

GULU – The government of Uganda has allocated Shs 48 billion to the creative and music industry for the establishment of regional arts’ theatres.

The Prime Minister Robinah Nabanja revealed that the fund is established to organise the creative industry and attract the youths to self-employment.

She revealed that Shs 11 billion has been channelled to the Uganda National Cultural Centre (UNCC) from the Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) for the implementation of the program.

“We will now give you what belongs to you and we expect that you will think positively to invest in the industry and get money,” Nabanja told the artistes over the weekend in Gulu at Watoto Church.

Operation Wealth Creation Chief Coordinator, General Salim Saleh noted that the artistes in the music industry have missed out on opportunities due to lack of structural organisation.

Saleh revealed that the government has realised the need to assemble the artistes into associations and cooperatives in order to receive support to boost their income during this period of the lockdown.

“We have learnt a lot from the artistes and we hope that they will now put their differences aside and turn their music to improve our economy,” Gen. Salim Saleh further explained.

Sam Okello, the Board Chairperson of Uganda National Cultural Centre revealed that the government has also reached agreement with the artistes on copyright protection.

Many of the artistes are being exploited and this has affected the growth of the music industry in the country. The government has now come up to prioritize the creative and arts industry, says Okello.

Though he did not disclose the timeframe of the establishment of the Regional Art Theatres, he noted the centres will be constructed in the North, Eastern, West Nile, Central and Western Uganda.

Ugandan Superstar and long-time musician, Daniel Kazibwe, known by his stage name Ragga D, commended the government for the support in the industry.

He also noted that the government has agreed to support artistes to produce songs that will sensitize and educate the masses on Covid19.

https://thecooperator.news/performing-artiste-sacco-leaders-arrested/

According to him, each of the songs that will support the fight against the Covid19 will tentatively be awarded Shs 350, 000 from the Ministry of Health.

Phina Mugerwa, the General Secretary Uganda Music Association noted that the industry has started registering all the performing artistes in the country and reorganising them into cooperatives.

Mugerwa revealed that about 4,000 musicians, producers and their promoters have been registered in the country and oriented on the organisation of the music industry for support from the government.

However, Ugandan Superstar and Hip-hop artiste Musa Ssali a.k.a Bebe Cool noted that the government has for years neglected more than 386,000 artistes in the music industry in its economic planning.

“Uganda is the most ethnically diverse country and this is the biggest opportunity for the country to export its cultures but there has been a lack of goodwill to take this advantage,” Bebe Cool added.

He revealed that the industry only contributed $ 281 million to the national economy due to poor technology for quality production.

“The creative industry is large and can generate more than $ 4,000 million per annum for the country if there is a will to support the sector and that is where we have gone wrong,” he added.

“The government has zoned Gulu City for induction, training and orientation of the artistes on the different opportunities to tap financial support from the government through associations and cooperatives,” says Phina.

The ongoing retreat which has lasted for more than two months in Gulu brought together artistes from different factions across the country that resolved to organise the music industry.

“We now have where we can begin from which has never been possible in the past years with lack of focus and infights in the industry. Let us not forget that we are prioritizing support to the young people,” Saleh told the artistes at Watoto Church.

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Serere district disburses Shs 90m to quack journalists.

SERERE – Serere district Members of Parliament have raised a red flag over the criteria the district officials used to disburse Shs 90m to quack journalists under the presidential initiative on wealth and job creation dubbed as Emyooga.

Statistics from the office of the District Commercial Officer, Simon Opolot, indicates that Serere district received Shs1,680,000,000 which was distributed to various SACCOs across the three counties of Kasilo, Serere and Pingire.

During the meeting between the Members of Parliament, district leaders and the Chairpersons of Emyooga SACCOs, to review and evaluate the progress of Emyooga program, it was found out that the district erroneously appropriated Shs 90m to quacks who disguised themselves as journalists.

Opolot said, of more than 180 registered SACCOs in the district, 3 were journalists’ SACCOs.

The SACCOs include; Pingire Journalists SACCO, Kasilo Journalists SACCO and Serere Journalists SACCO which received Shs 30m each and shared it amongst their respective associations established at parish level.

The revelation left the Members of Parliament wondering how Serere district was able to form journalists SACCO per county yet the number of practicing journalists in the district has been less than 10 journalists.

This report was presented to the Members of Parliament who included; the Minister of State for Fisheries, Hellen Adoa, who also doubles as Serere district Woman MP, Patrick Okabe (MP Serere County), Fred Opolot (Pingire County) and Kasilo Member of Parliament Elijah Okupa.

The Kasilo Member of Parliament, Elijah Okupa who was the team leader of the Members of Parliament cited a lot of irregularities in the report presented by the District Commercial Officer, Simon Opolot.

He said that the report didn’t reflect the amount of funds disbursed to the SACCOs and the date they received it.

https://thecooperator.news/re-allocate-emyooga-funds-to-local-government-accounts-systems/

In her submission, Hellen Adoa, the Minister of State for Fisheries said that she carried out an on-ground independent investigation prior to the meeting and found out that a number of members in the SACCOs and associations across the district are ghosts.

“During the visit, most associations were there but as it is, with many situations, there are bad apples. Some of the groups are not among the intended beneficiaries.

According to Adoa, Shs 30m which the district appropriated to Pingire County Journalists SACCO ended in the hands of masquerades totalling to Shs 90m.

Speaking in a tough tone, Adoa said, three of the SACCOs were composed of non-journalists disguising themselves as journalists while the purported performing artist’s SACCO was also made up of non-artists.

“I personally made calls to some of the members purported to be journalists in these respective SACCOs, unfortunately they denied being in any journalists SACCO,” she said.

The Member of Parliament for Serere County Patrick Okabe, blamed the district technocrats for disbursing funds to wrong beneficiaries without verifying.

“It’s sickening to learn that the district went ahead to disburse money to wrong members without verification. The Money has gone into the wrong hands. How can a small constituency of Pingire have 43 Journalists? It’s unbelievable but needs further probing,” Okabe questioned.

He suspected that some of the members in the journalists’ SACCOs disguising themselves as journalists are relatives of the sub-county or district technical staffs.

Okabe said that he has received a series of complaints from the public saying the fund intended to fight unemployment among the masses, is mismanaged to benefit a few who are not even in the targeted groups.

According to him, the saboteurs are doing so by forming and giving money to ghost groups and by asking for a 10% kickback, which he describes as not only being criminal but also undermining the president’s objective of introducing the initiative.

Meanwhile, the Pingire County Member of Parliament Fred Opolot attributed the mess to lack of proper sensitisation of the public about the program guidelines.

He said, had the Ministry of Finance drilled the beneficiaries on how they are supposed to benefit from the program, such shameful mistakes would not have happened.

Beneficiaries speak out

The Chairperson, Kasilo County Journalists SACCO, a correspondent of one of the radio stations in Soroti City based in Serere district, consented that many of his SACCO members are not journalists.

Out of seventeen registered members, only five are journalists while the rest are just citizen journalists, radio callers and agents.

The Chairperson, Serere County Journalists SACCO, Samson Adongu, faults the district technocrats and Minister of Finance for issuing contradictory guidelines about the program. Serere County Journalists SACCO, has three associations with less than 10 registered members.

“During the training conducted by the Ministry of Finance in February, 2020 at Soroti University, the Minister Haruna Kasolo described radio callers and agents as part of journalists, which every person who attended the training took as a gospel truth,” said Adongu.

Commercial Officer’s comments.

In his defense, the Serere District Commercial Officer, Simon Opolot said the blame should go to Microfinance Support Center for misleading the technocrats on who is a journalist and who is not.

He allayed fears that the district won’t recover that money from the masquerading journalists, saying that they will follow them to the dot till they repay back the money.

“The money is seed capital given in form of a revolving loan, so they must be informed that the money has to be paid within a period of four months as per the guidelines. Those who will not pay will be arrested,” warned Opolot.

The on-ground investigation taken by theCooperator reveals that Serere district alone has less than 20 professional journalists who mostly practice their journalism in Soroti City and other major towns in Uganda.

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Multibillion construction of northern Uganda regional cancer institute launched

GULU – Prime Minister Robinah Nabanja has launched the multibillion construction of Northern Uganda Regional Cancer Institute.

The multibillion health facility which will be established on a four and half hectares of land in Koro Kal worth 7.5 million Euros nearly Shs 34.5 billion was launched on Friday 13th August, 2021.

Nabanja explained that the government is training more personnel to work in the facility which is expected to be complete in 12 months according to the project timeframe.

She however, revealed that the government has plans of establishing five Regional Cancer Institutes by 2026 to decongest the National Cancer Institute at Mulago Hospital.

The construction which started in Northern Uganda will extend to Mbale in Eastern Uganda, Arua in West Nile and Mbarara to serve the population in Western Uganda in the subsequent years.

“We have a very high burden of treating cancers in this country and we don’t expect any form of shoddy work, substandard work and corruption in the project,” Nabanja warned.

https://thecooperator.news/gulu-regional-referral-hospital-gets-funding-for-regional-incinerator/

The Minister of State for Health-General Duties Anita Kawooya noted that the specialized facility in the region is an extension of the health care services to the vulnerable people.

She however revealed that, in every 1,000 Ugandans, 350 are battling with different cancers, a situation she described as burdensome to both the government and the patients.

Anita further disclosed that the government is procuring new machines for diagnosis and treatment for installation at Mulago National Cancer Institute.

“The East African States have resolved that Uganda takes lead in Cancer treatment for excellence and we are building on the structures, personnel and the equipment to meet the standard,” Kawooya added.

The Executive Director, Mulago National Cancer Institute, Jackson Orem noted that the plan for the establishment of the regional institute is in line with the National Development Plan III for quality health care to Ugandans.

He revealed that 80% of the patients in Uganda die due late diagnosis, limited quality care adding that cancer treatments will soon be decentralised at the lower health facilities.

Orem further explained that the Ugandan government signed a five year contract with the Austrian government in November last year for the construction of five cancer regional institutes.

The contract will be managed by the AME International, an Austrian Medical Engineering Firm.

The Head of the Medical Engineering and the Project Manager Sebastian Langfelder-Hain pledged to complete the facility in the next 12 months and hand it over to the government.

“The Austrian government will maintain its strong ties with the Ugandan government not only in the cancer treatment but also in the provision of other health care services,” Sebastian pledged to the Prime Minister on Friday during the groundbreaking ceremony.

However, cancer is among the disease burdens affecting Northern Uganda while the majority of the patients who are referred to Mulago National Cancer Institute often fail to reach the facility due to lack of transport and cost of feeding while admitted.

Barely a year ago, Pakia Primary School, Koch Lii Sub County in Nwoya district lost one of its primary seven candidates to cancer.

The deceased was diagnosed with cancer of the lymphatic system at St. Mary Hospital Lacor, the most common type in children and was referred to Mulago National Cancer Institute for specialised treatment.

Her single mother Evelyn Akello says the hospital had requested her to raise Shs 700,000 for referral to Mulago Hospital, an amount she could not afford since her small-scale business collapsed due to Covid-19 pandemic.

As the family struggled to look for the money, some well-wishers contributed the money to cover the cost and she was rushed to Mulago Hospital in advanced stages of cancer and later brought back home where she passed on and was laid to rest in her village in Koch Lii.

According to the 2020 record from Gulu Cancer Registry, more than 1, 320 people in the four Districts of Gulu, Amuru, Omoro and Nwoya were diagnosed with cancers.

The most predominant cancer infections in children in the region are cancer of the lymphatic system that accounts for 80% followed by cervical cancer at 58% and prostate cancer at 20%.

Meanwhile, at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital, at least 5 people seek health care services at the hospital with advanced cancer conditions on a monthly basis according to a hospital report.

Omoro District Chairman, Douglas Peter Okao disclosed in an interview with theCooperator that the district refers at least five cancer patients to Mulago National Cancer Institute every month and has urged the government to invest in early cancer screening.

Gulu City Woman Member of Parliament, Betty Aol Ocan noted that lack of specialised treatments in Northern Uganda have affected the responses to the emerging health situations in the region which is battling a number of chronic illnesses.

Aol urged the government to also consider establishing the heart institute in the region to address the related illnesses of respiratory diseases.

“We have been told that the cancer treatment will be offered free to our people but let me pray that what is being said will be free to the vulnerable community in the region,” Aol added.

Cancer is characterized by the development of abnormal cells that divide uncontrollably and have the ability to infiltrate and destroy normal body tissues. It often has the ability to spread throughout your body according to the medical specialists.

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UPDF marines, MAAIF launch a joint operation against illegal fishing gears

PAKWACH – A joint operation against illegal fishing gears on Lake Albert have been launched at Dei landing sites in Panyimur sub-county, Pakwach district by Uganda Peoples Defense Force (UPDF) marines and Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry (MAAIF) as a solution to the threat on the fish industry.

The ongoing operations against illegal fishing gears on Lake Edward and Lake Albert are being sponsored by Lake Edward, Lake Albert Fisheries (LEAF) project under Lake Victoria Water Basin as one of the modalities to conserve the depleted fish families in Lakes which have endangered the lives of fish in the water.

At the launch of the operation, more than 81 undersized boats that didn’t meet the standard of 8 meters, a tone of under sized monofilaments fishing nets and undersized fish were all burnt to set examples to others.

According to Col. Dick Kaija, the Commanding Officer, UPDF marines, the operation is as a result of the bilateral proxy between Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda that will last for a period of 3 weeks.

The two governments of DRC and Uganda agreed that, Lake Albert and Lake Edward are two shared lakes by the two countries and in order to realize the objectives of enforcements, the two countries must work together since fish don’t know international boundaries.

Kaija adds that to ensure the conservation of fish species which are depleted due to illegal fishing gears on shared Lakes are sustained and harmonized; policies on fishing silverfish and using gears that are prohibited among the two countries must be addressed.

He also noted that, the ongoing operations on Lake Albert are not only aimed at ending illegal fishing gears but, also to harmonize the prolonged security threats that had been caused by Congolese militias on Lake Albert which resulted into the arrest and killing of Ugandan fishermen while fishing on Congo sides.

“The two countries have cemented a mode of communication channels which will address all the challenges facing fishing communities while conducting fishing activities for a sustainable international relationship on the Lake,” Kaija said.

However, one of the fishermen Ali Muhammad Justine developed fears that, the operation on Lake Albert will greatly affect their livelihoods since the rising water level from the Lake and Covid19 have impacted on their livelihoods negatively.

He says fishermen are lay men who don’t know where the nets are manufactured but they end up being losers when it comes to such operations against illegal fishing gears and if possible, the government should be hunting for the manufacturers of illegal fishing nets.

“Now we are the losers and the poorest but the government ordered all the illegal fishing gears to be burnt, where shall we get financial support to boost our livelihoods?”

The Principal Fisheries Inspector (MAAIF) Paul Okware says, Uganda and Congo agreed on joint operations against illegal fishing gears on shared Lake Albert on 3rd of August 2021 in Mahagi territory so, the operations either on DRC or Uganda sides are legal.

https://thecooperator.news/updf-impounds-illegal-fishing-gear-in-apac/

“What is causing the depletion of fish in Uganda’s Lakes is also in RDC, so the two countries have agreed to protect their natural resources jointly to regain its natural resources,” Okware said.

He adds that if the Congolese are arrested on Ugandan sides on the Lake while fishing during periods after the operations, they will be handed back to their government in order to maintain the agreed cordial relationship on the lake between the two countries.

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Minister of land launches multi billion road work construction in Gulu City

GULU– The Minister of Land, Housing and Urban Development, Judith Nabakooba, has launched road construction in Gulu City.

The multibillion road construction works worth Shs 42.8 billion under the Uganda Support for Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) phase two was launched last week at Gulu Archdiocese.

The 7.78 kilometres of road under construction include Vincent Oola Lubaro Road of 2.540Km, Pope John Paul Road of 1.540Km and Nelson Mandela Road of 1.680 Kilometres.

Others are; Onono Road of 1.014Km, Lakana Odongkara of 0.583Km and Francis Barabanawe Road measuring 0.431 kilometres.

The construction work is being undertaken by China Railway Group 18, a Chinese construction firm that was awarded the contract by Gulu City Council Authority in April last year.

The Minister of Land Housing and Urban Development, Judith Nabakooba has called for close supervision of the construction works.

The Mayor Bar-Dege Layibi Division, Patrick Oola Lumumba explained that the poor state of roads within the division has affected transport, trade and businesses.

He revealed that the division has prioritised rehabilitation of about 100 roads within the next five years through local revenues to facilitate trade and improve on the security of the area.

Fred Obwona, the Chairperson of Bardage-Layibi division Boda- Boda SACCO has commended the extension of the USMID project into the division which he says will boost their income.

https://thecooperator.news/kiryandongo-commissions-shs-2-billion-nusaf-3-projects/

Obwona revealed that three boda-boda riders were killed by unknown people in the last 12 months after they were waylaid in some of the bad roads in the area.

He further explained that many of the boda-boda riders in the area will benefit from the new road network since they were struggling to raise money to pay back loans of the motor cycles they have acquired from the Microfinance Institutions.

“We are hopeful to take economic advantage of the roads once they are completed to improve our household incomes,” Obwona further explained.

However, the Commercial Manager of the construction firm, Zhang Milo disclosed in an interview later with theCooperator that work will begin in the next one week and be complete in 12 months.

“We have assembled some of the equipment here while others are yet to arrive in the country,” Zhang told theCooperator.

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Re-allocate Emyooga funds to local government accounts systems

GULU – The Resident City Commissioner (RCC) of Gulu, Denis Odongpiny has urged the government to re-allocate Emyooga funds from the Microfinance Support Centre to the Ministry of Finance and release it through the local government accounts system.

The Office of the RCC is charged with the responsibility of monitoring, supervising and evaluating the Emyooga programme.

“While the President has assigned us with the supervision of the project, let’s not forget that we don’t have the mechanisms for accountability and that is where we have concerns,” Odongpiny added.

This same view is held by Gulu City Town Clerk, Moses Otimong, who said that council has no legal mandate to monitor, supervise and account for funds that are not reflected in the national budget.

“I can’t be held responsible to account for funds I am green about; and above all the money doesn’t come in a manner that we can monitor,” Otimong explained.

https://thecooperator.news/msc-tasks-leaders-to-sort-emyooga-program-challenges/

Otimong further urged the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to restructure Emyooga into the local government system to avoid abuse and corruption in the project.

The ambiguity of the legal frameworks surrounding the Presidential Initiative on Wealth Creation, Emyooga program, has continued to leave questions on accountability mechanisms in the project.

The government has entrusted the Microfinance Support Centre with the implementation of the project which is directly charged with financing the enterprises selected under the project.

The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development released Shs 260 billion to support the project through the Microfinance Support Centre.

Gulu City Council (GCC) among other implementing local government systems was allocated Shs 1.1 billion which was received on July 06, 2021 to support the 438 different groups within the City.

However, technocrats and top government officials have sighted mistrust, bureaucracy and the unclear legal frameworks as hindrances to the progress of the implementation of the project.

Whereas the Resident District Commissioners (RDC) and the Resident City Commissioners (RCC) are mandated to oversee the implementation of the project, accountability mechanisms have not been established.

Gulu City Council Commercial Officer, Catherine Lanyero who presented the report to the Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) raised concerns on lack of legal policy frameworks.

Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, the Bardege-Layibi Division Member of Parliament and two other area Members of Parliament in the city met with city authorities over the uncertainties surrounding the project on Wednesday 11th August, 2021.

Lanyero revealed that only 36 of the 438 groups who applied for the different projects and enterprises received funding, adding that the majority failed to meet the conditions to access the loan.

She further explained that, lack of legal frameworks in the governance and the management of the fund has continued to leave unresolved questions on monitoring and accountability of the project.

According to her, each of the 36 groups which received funding initially deposited Shs 10 million to the different banks which is the one-third savings condition established before the fund can be disbursed to the beneficiaries, adding that the condition is within the Cooperative Act.

The disbursement performance report indicates that only Shs 32.4 million have so far been released to the beneficiaries and the performance only stands at nearly 3.7% while billions of shillings remained inaccessible in the banks.

Members of Parliament have also raised concern on who is mandated to benefit from the interests which will accumulate in the banks for the period the beneficiaries are struggling to meet the conditions to access the funds.

While the city authorities have no idea on this concern, the Emyooga Coordinator Acholi sub-region, Caroline Alarokoma alleged that the banks have fixed the money to realize profits, one of the many factors that delayed the groups to access funding though she could not point out the specific banks.

The Area Member of Parliament for Laroo-Pece Division Fr. Charles Onen revealed that the different groups in the city have spent Shs 260 million alone to complete the registration yet they are again required to deposit one third of their savings into the banks before accessing the money which is equivalent to Shs 10 million.

“The condition is unfair and yet the project intends to improve the livelihoods of the vulnerable Ugandans but look at the poverty level in Acholi sub-region and tell me whether the groups will be able to raise that money to become the beneficiaries,” said Fr. Onen Charles.

Gulu City Woman Member of Parliament Betty Aol Ocan, said the approach government initiated for the disbursement was wrong; it calls for immediate review before the resources could get wasted.

“Emyooga shouldn’t be about receiving but how it will impact the lives of people from the region differently from other projects which were marred by corruption,” Aol further explained.

Some of the group members who talked to theCooperator shared that they have been frustrated by the processes set to access the funds and decided to abandon the project.

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Bunyoro receives Shs 4 billion as affirmative action to fight poverty

HOIMA – The government through the Ministry of Bunyoro Affairs which operates under the office of the Prime Minister (OPM) has released Shs 4 billion to Bunyoro region as a special grant to fight the worrying poverty among the kingdom subjects.

The Shs 4 billion was released under a program dubbed Micro Project Association which 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 funds were unveiled by the State Minister for Bunyoro Affairs, Jenifer Kacha Namuyangu on Wednesday during the launch of the program at the RDC’s office in Hoima City.

During the launch, Namuyangu disbursed Shs 64.5 million to 16 groups from Hoima City and Hoima district who are the first beneficiaries of the program.

https://thecooperator.news/action-against-hunger-unveils-farming-projects/

According to Namuyangu, the Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) are mandated to monitor and supervise the implementation of the program adding that the funds will only benefit organized people in groups.

Though the beneficiaries have the right to select enterprises of their interest, Namuyangu directed leaders and technical officials to sensitize, help and guide the beneficiaries in selecting the best enterprises which are marketable and train them with financial literacy.

“This money is from President Museveni given to Bunyoro sub-region as a special intervention for them to get out of poverty in addition to other projects,” she explained.

She added that the government is ready to add more money on the Shs 4 billion to ensure that all the people interested in benefiting from the project are not left out.

“We shall even give them more money, because we have the money, this is the money for last quarter but I have already written to all accounting officers in the ten local governments of Bunyoro to select other groups and this time round we want everybody involved, the Members of Parliament, District Chairpersons and their Executives, Councillors, Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) and the District Internal Security Officers (DISOs) must all be involved so that the groups that are sent to me are groups that are real groups that are serious and on the ground,” she explained.

Namuyangu warned the beneficiaries against mismanagement of the funds and appealed to them to have goals, values and be focused to use the funds for the intended purpose.

Speaking on the behalf of the beneficiaries, the retired Bishop of Bunyoro Kitara diocese Rt. Rev Nathan Kyamanywa commended the president for the initiative but said that the money is too little to create impact to the beneficiaries and asked the Minister to lobby for more funding.

“There is a group which has received Shs 2 million here, so I was wondering how the members will share this money, I want to give my example. When you visited my farm, I told you that I need to have 5000 goats in 2 years, you know my budget and I have just received 10% of my budget, how will I be able to produce 5000 goats with that money, we are not rejecting it but we request that you add us more money.”

However, the Woman Member of Parliament for Hoima district, Harriet Businge welcome the program saying it will help many people to move out of poverty but questioned the criteria used in selecting the beneficiaries. She complained that groups were picked from one particular area leaving out many other areas on the program.

“It is unfortunate, that the criteria used to select the groups was unfair because when you look at Hoima district which I represent, only few groups benefited from this cycle, the entire Bugahya county with over seven sub-counties has no beneficiary at all, there is no group that has come from the entire Bugahya,” she complained.

Hoima Resident City Commissioner (RCC), Samuel Kisembo promised that a mechanism will be put in place to ensure that all the interest groups benefit.

He added that they are planning to have a committee which will select and scrutinize the beneficiaries in the second phase of the project.

Kisembo also urged the beneficiaries to excellently perform so that they can be given more funds since it’s allowed for those groups that perform well.

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Kiryandongo residents want Emyooga conditions “relaxed”

KIRYANDONGO – Residents of Kiryandongo district have asked the government to consider relaxing some of the conditions laid out before a person accesses funds under the Emyooga programme.

While meeting their constituency Members of Parliament (MPs) over the weekend, residents said the conditions set are limiting their ability to borrow and improve on their household income and well being.

Kiryandongo is made up of three constituencies which include; Kibanda South and North and the two constituencies are represented by Hon. Jacob Karubanga and Hon. Linos Ngompek respectively, while Hon. Hellen Kahunde is the Woman Member of Parliament.

During a meeting held at Kigumba sub-county headquarters, SACCO leaders prepared a report on issues affecting them and presented it to their MPs while alleging that the programme may not ably help them if it has stringent conditions attached.

“The government started this programme to help us fight poverty but it is becoming hard. We were told we need to have saved at least 30% of the money we need to borrow, but that is a tough and stringent condition. Besides that, the money given to SACCOs is also not enough,” the report read.

https://thecooperator.news/sacco-leaders-in-masindi-disagree-over-emyooga-savings-requirement/

Isaac Museveni Ulama, the Chairperson LC3 for Kigumba sub-county said there is a lot of bureaucracy when one wants to access the money thus limiting beneficiaries in addition to the 12% interest rate attached.

“There are too many forms to fill and unfortunately, a person is made to move for so many days before the entire process is completed. The process is too long and discouraging,” Ulama said.

Kenneth Kyaligonza, the Chairperson of Kibanda South Carpenters’ SACCO, said the guidelines were not well articulated to the masses before the programme was rolled out.

“This money came at a critical time of election campaigns and most people thought it was ‘free.’ Many people are still finding it hard to understand the conditions because they had different expectations,” Kyaligonza said.

However, Karubanga said, “this is a revolving fund and you must respect it. All of you cannot get money at once. Borrowers should respect the conditions set and pay back in time such that others can also benefit. If you handle the programme well, you will all benefit in the end,” Karubanga said.

However, Ngompek said the conditions set to access the money are meant to ensure that borrowers show commitment.

“When the Youth Livelihood Project was started, many people misused it by either marrying more women or wasting it in bars and it was hard to trace such money. However, the 30% savings you are being asked for are a sign of commitment that you will pay back,” Ngompek said.

When contacted, Kiryandongo District Commercial Officer, Sam Kakumba said the district received over Shs 1bn which was distributed among 35 SACCOs.

“Kibanda North has 18 SACCOs while Kibanda South has 17 and each has an average of seven associations. Each SACCO received Shs 30m except the ones for local leaders which got Shs 50m each. Each constituency has one local leaders’ SACCO. Apparently, 40 associations from different Emyooga SACCOs have received funds,” Kakumba said.

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APG withdraws ultimatum after reaching agreement

AMURU – Acholi Parliamentary Group (APG) has withdrawn the 7-day ultimatum given to the government to find a long-lasting solution to the disputes and violence that has left more than 20 people dead, scores injured and properties worth millions destroyed.

Last week, Acholi Parliamentary Group (APG), an umbrella body that brings together all the members of parliament from Acholi sub-region gave the government up-to Friday this week, to ensure the safety and security of Apaa residents ; investigations on the alleged invaders attacking, killing and destroying people’s properties and have them arrested.

The leaders also demanded that the government gives a clear stand on a long-lasting solution to the area claimed by Amuru, Adjumani and Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) or else they will mobilize the people in Apaa to defend themselves.

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In an interview with our reporter on Friday morning, Hon. Anthony Akol, the Chairperson Acholi Parliamentary Group (APG) who also doubles as the Kilak North MP says they have withdrawn the 7-day ultimatum following 5 key resolutions during a meeting with President Museveni. He says they have given the government up to six months as they observe their interventions as far as the land dispute is concerned.

“I have demobilized the people in Apaa following our meeting with President Museveni and I think the directives he made, are reasonable. This time we want a long-lasting solution to this problem. We have lost too many people to this dispute,” said Akol.

In a meeting with President Museveni at State House Nakasero, a delegation of Acholi leaders led by Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny Dollo and attended by other leaders including; Honorable Hillary Onek, Richard Todwong, Beatrice Atim Anywar, Akol Anthony, Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, Judith Achan, and Michael Lakony the LCV Chairperson Amuru district and Gen. Charles Otema Awany agreed with the President’s directive of protection of civilians and boosting of UPDF presence in the area.

In the meeting, Museveni directed Environment Minister, Beatrice Anywar to get a satellite report covering the Eastern part of Zoka forest, from 1984 before the war, to establish earlier human settlement in Apaa areas, and a review of the process of how the area was turned into a conservation area in 2002.

On the question of environmental destructions and the encroachment on Zoka forest, Minister of Environment should immediately evict anyone currently in Zoka forest. The meeting also resolved that the office of the Prime Minister should find a mechanism which will see a peaceful co-existence between the Acholi and Madi ccommunity.

Akol says that the previous commissions set by the President had people from the either side which influenced the decision making which has been one of the reasons why the dispute in the area has not been solved.

Michael Lakony, the Amuru district LCV chairperson says even when the President has directed that security be boosted in the area, there`s still need for the army to be deployed in the area and a military detach investigated for allowing more than 200 people armed with bows and arrows to destroy people’s houses and properties among others. Lakony claims that the people mostly from Adjumani district are released unconditionally.

Demand for a new administrative unit managed by central government.

Lakony says that in the past two months, 7 mothers have died as they try to access a health facility outside Apaa because Apaa Health Center II was closed by the government over the ongoing dispute. He says the future of the children in the area is also miserably unknown because schools in the area have also been closed.

Lakony and Akol says people in the area have been denied their rights to health, education, freedom among others due to this protracted dispute. They urged the government to give an interim administrative unit to Apaa and be managed by the central government with the hope of re-establishing schools and health centers in the area.

Francis Opong, a resident of Apaa says there has been an improvement in security after the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) deployed in the area and started driving the people believed to be coming from Adjumani out of the area. Opong hopes that this time, the directives of Museveni are followed unlike the previous directives he gave in 2018 and were not followed.

In August 2018, when the President visited the contested Apaa land, he made three key directives aimed at solving the land dispute including the proposal that the people of Apaa who at predominantly Acholi be moved to Acholi area and notes that the locals will be compensated, that those already staying in Apaa trading center should remain where they are but not expand into the protected Zoka forest and the government gets another portion of land nearer the populated area of Adjumani because the locals were already residing in Adjumani district but inside Zoka forest.

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Kiryandongo commissions Shs 2 billion NUSAF 3 projects

KIRYANDONGO – Kiryandongo district authorities have commissioned the Shs 2 billion Northern Uganda Social Action Fund (NUSAF 3) labour intensive public works projects. Funds for the projects had been blocked on the beneficiaries’ account for the last one year.

The money had been blocked in the financial year 2020/21 by Dorothy Ajwang, the then Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) after she suspected that there could be ghost groups and members.

The money is going to benefit 79 groups which are in eight watersheds in the entire district meant for; Ox traction, soya bean growing, sunflower growing and labour-intensive works like construction of roads.

The groups are supposed to get Shs 2.1 billion where by every group will be getting Shs 17 million.

This prompted Ajwang to write to the Inspectorate of Government (IG) to come on ground to do thorough verification.

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However, the IG gave them a go ahead after they realized that all the groups and the members were genuine.

The members had also complained over the delayed disbursement of funds saying that everything had been done well but they never knew the motive of the CAO.

The groups had been formed in the financial year 2017/18 expecting immediate funding.

On Thursday, the group members were excited to see the long-awaited funds being commissioned.

The projects commissioned include; community access roads, market stalls, institutional greening and community fish ponds.

The labour-intensive public work projects are expected to improve on the welfare and livelihood of the people as well as easing access to social services such as markets, schools and health facilities.

“We are happy that we are going to receive the long-awaited funds. We formed these groups in 2017 expecting to get the money immediately but in vain. We thank God for this opportunity,” the members explained.

While addressing the beneficiaries at Gwara Primary School-Karuma on Thursday, Edith Aliguma, the district Chairperson thanked the community for participating in the labour intensive public works and informed them that the delay in implementation of the projects was caused by the need to verify whether the members of the groups formed were genuine or not.

“We also wanted to ascertain whether the groups which were formed two years before the disbursement of funds were still together or maintained the same project interest,” explained Aliguma.

Aliguma also commended the Inspectorate of Government for working closely with the district to ensure effective implementation of NUSAF 3 projects.

She also assured the community of the district’s commitment to offer services despite the end of NUSAF 3 projects.

During the same occasion, James Penywi, the Director Monitoring and Evaluation at the Inspectorate of Government called upon the community to always raise complaints on service delivery through their local leaders before they think of the IG.

“Always use your leaders to raise complaints, only come to the IG if your leaders don’t respond. Make engagements and work with the technical people to ensure good working relations,” Penywi urged the beneficiaries.

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