Hoima leaders call for sensitisation of Emyooga beneficiaries

HOIMA– Local leaders in Hoima district and Hoima city have called for more sensitisation of Emyooga beneficiaries so that the programme realises its intended objectives.

Speaking at the celebrations to mark 20 years of the existence of Uganda Microfinance Support Centre [MSC], Emmy Kateera Turyabagyenyi, the Hoima RDC said the lack of information was failing the progress of Emyooga programme in the district.

He said that some Emyooga associations in the district opened current accounts in the banks instead of saving accounts, which he said was due to a lack of enough sensitisation.

He noted that some Emyooga beneficiaries still think Emyooga programme money is free money from President Yoweri Museveni as an appreciation for voting him in 2020. As such he said, many have defaulted on what is supposed to be a revolving fund.

He added that lack of financial management skills is also another challenge affecting Emyooga programme.

Brian Kaboyo, the Hoima city Mayor said that there is a need to double efforts in educating the Emyooga beneficiaries to understand that the money is a seed capital that must be paid back so that other Ugandans use it.

He added that Emyooga money was meant to help the beneficiaries to create income-generating activities that are key to fighting poverty.

William Kasigazi, the Hoima city deputy resident commissioner, said that the programme has started to perform better in the recent months.

Kasigazi said the programme started to perform better after he engaged the beneficiaries on some guidelines that they are supposed to follow while using the money.

He added that before they relaxed guidelines, only Shs 400 million out of Shs1.2 billion had been borrowed by the beneficiaries. He said they have now managed to disburse Shs 1.1 billion to groups.

Harriet Katusiime, the Hoima district deputy chief administrative officer, said they have helped Emyooga beneficiaries through financial inclusion sessions where topics like borrowing were discussed.

However, Katusiime called on the government to provide money to facilitate the Emyooga task forces in supervision, monitoring, and sensitising the Emyooga groups.

Emmanuel Aliba, Chairman of the board MSC said that Emyooga programme is progressing well, despite some challenges.

Aliba noted that plans are underway to digitise all the Emyooga processes to enable the beneficiaries to do all transactions electronically.

He added that over Shs 67 billion has been saved by Emyooga SACCOS across the country. He urged SACCO members in Bunyoro to continue saving, stating that it is through saving that they would be able to invest in the future.

According to UMC, Hoima zone covers Bunyoro region, and two districts of Buganda region, Kiboga and Kyanwanzi with 412 Emyooga SACCOs.

The 412 SACCOs were given Shs 12.882 billion which was disbursed to the different Emyooga association groups to begin income-generating activities. In two years, the 412 SACCOs have saved Shs 4.2bln.

During the event to celebrate 20 years of MSC existence, over 30 Emyooga SACCOs from Hoima zone were awarded certificates for performing well. 10 SACCOs have so far received an additional Shs 20 million each, for good performance.

https://thecooperator.news/over-300-emyooga-saccos-in-masaka-to-get-extra-shs-20mln-each/

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