MP cautions against misuse of government funds for wealth creation

 GULU CITY, November 8, 2025 — The Gulu City Member of Parliament [MP], Betty Aol Ocan, has cautioned the public against the misuse of government funds intended for wealth creation, stressing that such money comes from taxpayers and should not go to waste.

MP Aol noted that although many people have benefited from government initiatives such as the Parish Development Model [PDM], Northern Uganda Social Action Fund [NUSAF], and the Uganda Women Empowerment Programme [UWEP], few have made productive use of the funds.

“Sometimes people receive this money and think it belongs to President Museveni, so they misuse it,” Aol said. “But this is taxpayers’ money. Some of the money is meant to be repaid so that others can also benefit. Don’t waste it on drinking. Even if it were the President’s money, use it to lift yourself out of poverty.”

She observed that many households continue to struggle to meet basic needs such as food and education for their children, despite the government’s efforts to promote wealth creation.

Aol also urged residents to avoid borrowing from loan sharks, warning of the high interest rates charged by such lenders. “I am asking you to avoid these loans where you are charged interest daily. They will ‘bury’ you. Many people end up losing their national identity cards to these money lenders, yet the government has affordable credit facilities available,” she said.

The MP made the remarks during the graduation of 80 people, mainly women, who received certificates in Integrated Functional Adult Literacy [FAL] on Wednesday at Awere Grounds in Bardege-Layibi Division, Gulu City.

The nine-month training, organised by the Northern Uganda Women Food Basket Organisation [NUFOBO], covered areas such as business management, saving, nutrition, and leadership.

One of the beneficiaries, Franka Angeyo, shared her personal journey: “I had never stepped into a classroom before. I worked as a housemaid for many years, though I always wished to study. I spent nine years in captivity under the Lord’s Resistance Army [LRA], where I had my first child. When I escaped, I got married to an educated man, but my in-laws looked down on me because I was illiterate, and the marriage eventually ended.”

Angeyo said she now plans to sit for the Primary Leaving Examinations [PLE] to improve her employment opportunities. She urged the government to prioritise functional adult literacy in Northern Uganda, saying that many people remain disadvantaged due to illiteracy.

“Someone who is illiterate may not understand the importance of basic things such as hygiene and nutrition. Through the FAL training, we’ve learnt that poor hygiene can even lead to broken marriages and poor health in our homes,” she said.

Another beneficiary, Nancy Aloyo, said, “The FAL training has given me confidence. I now aspire to pursue a career in politics.”

Alice Apiyo, the Executive Director of NUFOBO, noted that while FAL was initially targeted at rural communities, there is now a growing need for the programme in urban areas as well.

“Many illiterate people now live in cities and engage in various economic activities,” Apiyo said. She explained that the long years of LRA insurgency and poverty had deprived many of access to formal education.

“We are implementing Sustainable Development Goal 4 [SDG 4], which emphasises education for all. Our oldest graduand this year is 62 years old, while the youngest is 19,” she revealed.

Apiyo added that the organisation is seeking funding to train beneficiaries in digital skills to enable them to use mobile phones more effectively for business and information access.

“These people have phones but think they are only for making calls. There’s so much more they can do with them,” she said.

https://thecooperator.news/gulu-city-boss-urges-owc-to-deliver-coffee-seedlings-on-time/

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