'My phone has been off for two months because of network,' Boda Boda rider Geoffrey Oloya says as he re-appears
The first recipient of the Shs100,000 covid-19 cash relief from the government of Uganda, the famous Boda Boda rider Geoffrey Oloya has said he is no “ghost”.
The Boda Boda rider who appeared after several months of being unreachable by Mobile Phone presented himself to Gulu City Authorities so that they can witness he is human and indeed a Boda Boda rider contrary to reports.
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The man who rose to prominence after receiving a phone call from Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja in the process of following up with the initial recipients, became an instant ‘enemy’ of the people after confirmed reports he was an impostor.
During a meeting between members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for local government and officials of Gulu City, it was revealed that Oloya had received the money as a wrong target.
Gulu City Town Clerk Moses Otimong convincingly stated they have no one by the name of Geoffrey Oloya on the lists submitted for relief and even the only Oloya on the list did not receive the money.
Otimong swore that the number attached to Geoffrey Oloya has been unreachable ever since the Prime Minister made a phone call on July 9th, 2020.
However, in a statement by the Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development, Oloya appeared to dispel such rumors, because he was “disturbed by the publicity around him”.
In the statement, the Ministry says Oloya claimed network issues were behind his phone being off.
“I have been busy in my garden in Nyamukino village, Lumulu Sub County at the far end of Nwoya district, where the network is very poor and that’s the reason my line has been unreachable,” Oloya said according to the statement from the Ministry of Gender.
“I first heard of the falsehoods around my name last week when Members of Parliament came to Gulu. I felt so embarrassed because I am a vulnerable person and do boda-boda riding within Gulu city,” he added.
According to the Ministry, Oloya claims he registered through the correct procedures and when the money came he immediately bought seeds of soya and rice “which I went to plant in my garden”.
“This is where the unfortunate news found me,” Oloya said.
He described the reports that label him as a “ghost recipient” as “unfortunate”.
“I want to really thank the government for the support,” he noted.
