DOKOLO, December 6, 2023 – Security operatives in Dokolo district have recovered over Shs 10 million received fraudulently by some members and leaders of Parish Development Model Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisations [PDM SACCOs].
According to the Dokolo Resident District Commissioner, Barbara Akech, who is the head of security in the district, they recovered the money during an operation mounted in four sub-counties after receiving information from the locals, and their leaders.
Under the PDM in the district, government disbursed Shs 7.6 billion to 71 parishes in Dokolo district to finance different enterprises selected by the programme’s beneficiaries.
The programme launched by President Yoweri Museveni in February 2022, aims at moving about 3.5mln households still trapped in the subsistence economy to the money economy.
Under the programme, each of the 10, 594 parishes in the country is expected to receive Shs 100mln every financial year to operationalise the Parish Revolving Fund [PRF] as one way of empowering communities to engage in commercial enterprises such as coffee growing, piggery, and poultry keeping among several others.
Akech said some families in the sub-counties such as Amwoma, Dokolo town council, Adok and Adeknino received the money twice, a move which was against the PDM guidelines.
“We were alerted and moved on the ground and found a lot of messes. Some chairpersons gave money to their spouses, children and close relatives,” she said.
“While others forced the beneficiaries to surrender parts of the money received claiming that they were not meant to get the amount,” she said.
She added that they arrested five people who were released on police bond upon refunding the money.
“We just wanted our money and when they paid back, we released them,” she said, adding that SACCO members who received the money twice have been asked to refund the extra money.
She cautioned people against offering money to the PDM chairpersons as they prepare for the second cycle of PDM.
https://thecooperator.news/dokolo-rdc-halts-registration-of-pdm-beneficiaries-over-extortion/
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