Members of Parish Development Program (PDM) Savings and Credit Cooperatives (SACCOs) in Kiryandongo district have received money as the government rolls out the implementation of the programme in the country.
This was during the launch of the parish revolving fund loan cash give out in the district at Bweyale town council on Wednesday.
The event was presided over by the State Minister for Bunyoro Affairs, Jenipher Kacha Namuyangu.
During the event Kaduku parish in Masindi Port Sub-County and Bweyale Central PDM SACCOs in Bweyale town council received sh25m each.
Selected members of the two aforementioned SACCOs received sh1m each in cash from PostBank that they are supposed to invest in their businesses and pay back in a one year period with a 6 percent interest.
Namuyangu warned the beneficiaries against spending the money to celebrate the festive season or marrying more women instead of the intended purpose.
She said the money is meant to boost the beneficiaries’ businesses in order to increase their incomes to enable all Ugandans to join the money economy.
The Minister ordered the leaders to monitor the beneficiaries to ensure they are putting the money to the intended purpose, warning that those who misuse it will be arrested and prosecuted.
Isa Hassan Byenkya, the Kiryandongo district production officer who is also the district PDM focal person revealed that the district has so far received sh1.3b for the 500 PDM SACCOs.
However, Byenkya cited inadequacy of the agricultural extension staff as the major challenge to PDM in the district.
He explained that the district has only 33 extension staff who cannot effectively serve the 500 PDM SACCOs in the district.
He appealed to the government to recruit more staff to enable effective implementation of the program in the district.
Byenkya also complained of the absence of Information Communication and Technology gadgets necessary in PDM operations that are computerised.
Irene Apio from Bweyale Central, one of the beneficiaries who received the money promised to invest the money in her dairy project so that she can earn more from it.
Apio, who hailed the government for the initiative, said the funds will help her to increase her household income.
“I have for long lacked the capital to boost my project,” she added.