Kwania: Emyooga cash delay worries SACCOS
Members of Credit Co-operative Societies (SACCOs) in Kwania district under the Emyooga program have expressed frustration after they were informed that they have to carry on with saving for some time before they can receive the highly anticipated Emyooga cash.
The disappointed members say they had expected to receive the money within weeks.
Merry Akullo, the Chairperson of St. Theresa Women Entrepreneurship SACCO, said some had borrowed money from other sources, expecting to refund it soon.
However, Patrick Abura, the Kwania District Commercial Officer (DCO), said it was crucial for the SACCOs to bolster financial strength and increase the money available for lending to members ahead of receiving the Emyooga disbursement.
“Those that don’t save with their association will not benefit from the funds,” he said, adding that the money was already in the bank, but that disbursement had been delayed because the SACCOs lack certificates of registration.
SACCOs formed at the constituency level must first be registered by the Registrar of co-operatives in the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives to authenticate their existence before they can receive any funds, Abura said.
He, however, assured the groups that all the necessary documents of the 187 SACCOS in the district had been submitted for certification.
Salim Komakech, the Kwania Resident District Commissioner asked members of the SACCOs to remain patient.
“A team from the Ministry of Microfinance has already done validation of the groups. Members-only have to remain a little patient as procedures are being followed to secure the money,” he said.
Out of more than180 groups in the district that applied to benefit from the project, a total of 36 were shortlisted as beneficiaries after validation by the ministry; 18 each from the district’s two constituencies of Kwania North and Kwania County.
Each constituency will receive Shs 569m in Emyooga funding, with each beneficiary group slated to receive Shs 30m.
About Emyooga
The Emyooga program was launched last year by President Yoweri Museveni as part of the Government’s ongoing efforts to transform 68% of Ugandan homesteads from subsistence to market-oriented production.
The Shs165.7bn Emyooga program targets 18 development clusters in the informal sector per constituency, including women entrepreneurs, salon operators, welders, carpenters, local leaders, persons with disabilities, performing artists, market vendors, and journalists among others.
Youths SACCOs registered under the program will receive Shs 30m in seed funding, while local leaders’ Emyooga SACCOS will get Shs 50m each.
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