Mbarara: RCC urges Emyooga SACCOs on marketing

MBARARA– The Resident City Commissioner [RCC] Mbarara City North, Robert Kanusu has asked leaders Emyooga SACCOs to tap into the available market, if the SACCOs are to grow and boost incomes of members.

He said the money for the social and economic transformation can only get the people of Mbarara City out of poverty if they focus on value addition and marketing of their products.

Kanusu made the call last Friday while meeting all the 18 Emyooga SACCO leaders in Mbarara City North division engaged in the informal sector.

“We have invited you to tell you what we expect from you before we start visiting your SACCOs individually to check on your performance. As a new leader in the area I need to dwell much on development so let’s work together and make a difference,” he said.

He said that creating a rapport with the SACCO managers would limit the errors Emyooga SACCOs make when handling the funds.  He pledged to make Mbarara City North a model division for the Emyooga program.

“Development economics can work better when the implementers are working in a harmonious way because if we create good working relations, they will open up to arrest the situation early enough before the government programme is messed up.”

“If we prepare our people to do business profitably then they will determine development,” he added.

The officials advised SACCOs to have study trips, saying it would help them to benchmark their activities.

“What new technology can you learn when you don’t benchmark? Benchmarking helps members to understand more in whatever they are doing. So you need to start visiting other SACCOs if you want to progress,” he said, urging SACCO leaders to promote the products and services produced to attract buyers.

He pledged to hold meetings with SACCO leaders to cause a difference in the running of SACCO activities meant to fight household poverty.

“Yesterday I met the SACCO managers but I am going to create more meetings to make them understand the nature of business that benefits groups. “I believe if we empower them with information and capacity building these two will work. Otherwise our office does not only go there to remind and arrest them to recover the government money,” RCC said

Kanusu also challenged people of Mbarara City to adapt to the new changes and lifestyles that come with of urbanization.

Iif we are in urbanization process, then we also need to comply and adhere to the key pillars of infrastructural development such as road networking, water connectivity and power supply,” he said

Meanwhile, some members said Emyooga programme got challenges right from the start as there was no training and sensitization on how best to utilise the money.

“We joined Emyooga program before receiving training and most of the SACCOs had to collide because we were not guided well,” Robert Nuwagaba, Chairman of Mbarara City Traders Association explained.

Abdulwahabu Atweta, Chairman Mbarara City North Produce Dealers’ SACCO challenged his colleagues running Emyooga SACCOs to respect savings of the members.

“What has enabled us to grow is the fear of God. When you fear God, then you can’t eat what is not yours,” Atweta said.

Currently, Mbarara City North Produce Dealers SACCO has a total of Shs 101mln savings, share capital of Shs17.18mln and a loan disbursement of Shs 200mln to its members.

“Our target is to compete at the national. We expect that by the end of September 2022, we will be above Shs 400mln as in cumulative numbers,” Atweta said.

https://thecooperator.news/arrests-a-solution-to-recovery-of-emyooga-money-in-mbarara/

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