The Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Butaleja, Jimmy Ebil Segawa has warned community development officers (CDO's), DCDO's and commercial officers against soliciting bribes from groups before registering them for Presidential Initiative on job and wealth creation Emyooga Program.
According to Ebil who pledges to take stern action against the perpetrators, several reports indicate that some unethical CDOs', DCDO's and commercial officers in the district are extorting money from group members before registering them as others have set clandestine conditions for a kickback when the groups receive money.
It's alleged that the officers are asking for between Shs35,000 to 100,000 in form of registration charges.
The RDC reveals that 812 groups have successfully been earmarked to benefit from emyooga across the district and the money will be available in two weeks' time.
"So far we are done with several activities including registering, validation, and training of trainers what we expect is accounts opening."
He said Bunyole East and West constituencies will have their monies channeled through post bank and centenary which have been accredited.
He advised beneficiaries not to get excited with the money and divert it to purchase luxuries ahead of the forthcoming festivities but rather inject it in income-generating ventures.
On February 11 2020 state minister for Finance In charge of microfinance, Haruna Kyeyune Kasolo while launching the emyooga program for Elgon and Bukedi sub-regions at Wash and Wills Hotel Mbale revealed that registration of the program is free of charge and warned of punitive action against officers who sabotage the program.
The emyooga initiative targets Ugandans especially in the informal sector who come together in form of Sacco under 19 clusters including bodaboda riders, journalists, taxi drivers, restaurants, welders, market venders, performing artists, youth leaders, PWDs, veterans, private teachers, and fishermen.
The program is part of the NRM principle of socio-economic transformation in which the government has committed 68% of the country's homesteads, currently in the Subsistence of market oriented production.