Otuke-The Minister of State for Gender, Labour, and Social Development Charles Okello Engola has ordered the arrest of Community Development Officers (CDOs) in Otuke district for extorting money from locals to register their SACCOs for Parish Development Model (PDM).
During a sensitization about the PDM at the district headquarters on Wednesday, the CDOs were accused of soliciting 30,000 to 40,000 Shillings from each of the SACCOs registering at the sub County to benefit from PDM funds.
Charles Okello Engola, who headed the sensitization team ordered the arrest of CDOs who are accused of asking for money from the SACCOs.
Engola urged local leaders to help the community in the selection of enterprises to realize a better outcome for the project.
Jillian Akullo, the Otuke Resident District Commissioner says that her office had received several complaints, especially from the sub-counties of Alango, Adwari, and Okwang. Akullo has now ordered the CDOs to refund the money immediately.
The Otuke County MP Paul Omara and the Otuke East County MP Julius Acon Bua tasked the electorate to embrace the program in order to improve their livelihoods.
Otuke District has already registered 54 SACCOs engaging in 834 enterprises to generate income for their households.
In Kabarole District, speaking at the sensitization on Wednesday at the Youth Centre, the LCV Chairperson Richard Rwabuhinga said that despite the district having 52 parishes, they have received only 470 Million instead 870 million shillings which left the district with a deficit of 370 million to kick start the program.
Rwabuhinga says he has since communicated the matter to the line ministry and they promised to send the remaining amount in the first quarter of the 2022/2023 financial year.
The State Minister for Local Government Victoria Businge Rusoke asked the youth and women to embrace the program.
Under the PDM, each parish is expected to receive 100 Million Shillings per year for five years for groups to borrow and invest. The government has provided more than 1 Billion Shillings for the SACCOs that are being formed to disburse the funds to registered groups in the 10, 594 parishes.
Source: URN
