Ikiriza Zephania Atwooki
State House Officials led by Eng. Raymond Kamugisha, the Director of Presidential Projects and Industrial Hubs have today met and held discussions with beneficiaries of the Zonal Presidential Industrial Skilling Hubs, SACCO leaders and district leaders from Greater Masaka, Mubende and Mukono at Mengo Zonal Presidential Industrial Skilling Hub in Kayunga District.
The deliberations focused on training the beneficiaries on how best they can utilise the Shs8.8 billion which President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni recently injected into the various districts SACCOs, with an aim of supporting the beneficiaries of the hubs to start up small enterprises after the 6-months skills training.
Representing, Ms. Jane Barekye, the State House Comptroller, Eng. Kamugisha revealed that each SACCO under the various industrial skilling hubs around the country received Sh50 million and beneficiaries of the initiative will borrow the funds from their respective SACCOs to start-up income generating projects.
“This is an announcement to all the students who trained from these hubs, you are going to get cash, the President has already disbursed Shs8.8billion for you,” he said.
“We have 19 hubs across the country with 176 administrative units, and these include districts, cities and municipalities and they are all beneficiaries.”
Eng. Kamugisha further assured the trainees that if capital has been their only challenge, the President has now addressed the issue.
He further cautioned the eligible beneficiaries against misusing the funds.
“Every qualified beneficiary will receive their share after the ongoing training across all industrial hubs is complete. Your share will be deposited in your Wendi account in Post Bank,” he said.
Referring to the President’s vision as per his manifesto, Mr. Kamugisha noted that the establishment of a university for TVET is part of the plan for skilling hub students aimed at enhancing practical education and innovation. He therefore urged the youth to put their skills to productive use.
“We can use this small money and become very powerful. The President wants you to use your skills to empower yourselves. That’s why he wants to put a university for skilling,” Eng. Kamugisha told the trainees.
He added that those who trained in welding and other simpler courses would each receive Shs1.5 million as a loan while those in advanced courses like shoe-making that require machinery would be supported in pairs so that they work together and succeed.
Eng. Kamugisha further assured the trainees that the initiative will continue beyond the current phase. He said that the government will continue monitoring the SACCOs to ensure accountability and sustainability.
He added that after completion of phase one, a second phase will be launched to assess which beneficiaries are performing well and deserve additional support.
“After phase one, we shall level to phase two, we shall monitor and see who is performing well and we shall add them more money,” he said.
He concluded by calling on those who don’t have national identity cards registered in their names to get them as this will be a requirement to get a loan.
“Those without national identity cards should register, I will go to the office of the Executive Director of NIRA to help those without identity cards get them,” Eng. Kamugisha asserted.
Mr. Joseph Lutalo, the Assistant Registrar of Cooperatives from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, emphasized proper management and accountability among the SACCOs and the beneficiaries.
“This money is not a reward that you studied from here but a chance since the interest rate is very low, save as soon as you get the money so that you have what to pay back after the one year grace period,” Mr. Lutalo said.
On the other hand, Mr. Golooba Lwanga the Manager of Financial Inclusive, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development urged the participants to make sure that the SACCO loans are managed transparently and benefit the intended beneficiaries.
“The President has entrusted you with these funds to uplift yourselves, it’s your duty to handle this money with seriousness and honesty, you are not paying anything to get this loan, but if you fail to pay it back and all recovery effort fail, you will be liable to facing the law” he warned.
According to Mr. Golooba, the ongoing training across the Presidential Skilling Hubs is aimed at equipping SACCO leaders and beneficiaries with financial management skills to ensure the sustainability of the program.
He explained that by training the leaders on how to handle the loans responsibly, the government hopes to prevent mismanagement and maximise the impact of the President’s initiative to fight unemployment among the youth.
The loans from the Presidential Skilling SACCOs shall be financed up to an amount approved by the SACCOs board and approval depends on the nature of the trade and available funds. The maximum amount given to each borrower is Shs1.5 million with an annual interest rate of 6 percent.
Testimonies were heard from former students of the Skilling Hubs like Sebalamu Isaac who is now a welder in Munyonyo and he is doing well.
Having specialized in welding, Sebalamu revealed that the skills he gained have enabled him to start his own workshop and employ other youth in his community.
“I want to thank President Museveni for giving us the skilling opportunity. We were recruited on merit and trained for 6 months without paying anything and I’m now able to get money and employ other youth,” he added.
Akankwasa Brian Bruno, the former Guild President of Mengo Zonal Industrial
Presidential Skilling hub also thanked President Museveni for the initiative. He said he was a senior six dropout but was lucky to get skills in welding.
“I want to thank President Museveni for introducing the skilling hubs. I was a senior six drop out without any hopes of ever going back to school, but my aunt informed me of the skilling hubs where I applied and got a chance. I graduated in welding and I now have my own business employing two people and getting profits of Shs20,000 per day.”
