Minister Kasolo blasts Luuka CDOs for frustrating Emyooga program

The State Minister for Microfinance, Haruna Kyeyune Kasolo has blasted civil servants including Community Development Officers(CDOs) and district commercial officer for frustrating the implementation of Emyooga program.

Speaking during the monitoring of Emyooga program in Luuka, Kasolo was astonished to find out that the district has not performed to the expectations of many, including government.

During one of the meetings, the District Commercial Officer, Baker Kirunda reported to the minister that one of the reasons for poor performance is lack of facilitation to monitor the program.

"Lack of facilitation to the district task force has hampered the implementation but also failure by the Microfinance Support Center to fulfill the promise of facilitating CDOs and district commercial officers, lack of transport means to use during monitoring and supervision and lack of facilitation by executive members while carrying out the business of the Saccos have led to this poor performance," Kirunda told the minister.

However, in response, the minister blasted the CDOs for failing the program in Luuka district , and urged them to borrow a leaf from "traditional civil servants" who he said  worked wholeheartedly with little or no pay.

"You are failing the program. You are now saying that on top of the salary you receive from government, it must also give you facilitation to monitor the program. We have to go back to our old system of traditional civil servants. They (traditional civil servants) loved their work, but now, most government servants no longer mind about their work, but money. When you visit sub counties, you don't find the LC3 chairmen, the senior assistant secretaries. They only go there when there is money, and they get it from the bank, and consume it all. They no longer care," the incensed minister Kasolo said.

He directed the Resident District Commissioner and Chief Administrative Officer to arrest non-performing civil servants including Community Development Officers and commercial officers.

“Why are they not working when they are supposed to be at work? There are technical extension officers at sub counties who receive government salary, but people don't know them, because they don't visit communities. Therefore, RDC, CAO, DISO, use your power to put these people in order," he said.

Performance

The minister was informed that the two constituencies of Luuka North and South received seed capital worth shs1.12 billion in total from the Microfinance Support Center.

A total of 34 saccos each received shs30 million totaling to shs1.02 billion whereas each of the two elected leaders sacco received shs50 million.

However, the saccos in both constituencies in total made savings worth shs465 million , disbursed shs1.4 billion in loans but of this, only shs175 million has been recovered.

Speaking during the meeting, minister Kasolo said he was not happy with the performance, noting that many saccos in other parts of the country had performed better than the entire district of Luuka.

"Buganda is so far the best performing region in the implementation of Emyooga programme. There is a sacco that has saved over 200 million shillings. In Masaka, the best performing Sacco  is for elected leaders and they have saved shs260 million . In Ankole, Mbarara North Constituency produce dealers Sacco has saved shs210 million,” he said.

In a bid to motivate them, the minister promised rewards through an additional shs20 million seed capital to the best performing saccos.

"I have money for all the Saccos. However, we will give money to only those that will exhibit good performance. We will not give you that money until you pass the test. The RDC will recommend, and we give you money," he said.