Officials in Bundibugyo District have failed to recover more than 1 billion shillings from at least 170 youth groups who received funds under the Youth livelihood project-YLP.
According to records from the office of the district YLP focal person Asuman Bwambale, the district disbursed 1.278 billion Shillings in a period of four years starting from the financial year 2014 up to 2019 but only 273 million Shillings so far has been recovered from the 170 groups.
The district leaders have now resolved to conduct a man-hunt of all the defaulters arguing that the general purpose of the fund has been frustrated.
Bwambale noted that a circular has been issued to all parish and sub-county chiefs and community development officers to start coordinated operations and arrest defaulters.
“We’re going to work with the RDC, police, and court to ensure that we apprehend those who have failed to make commitments of paying back this money,” said Bwambale.
Bwambale also added that his office is faced with the challenges of limited resources which would have aided timely monitoring of the groups and their projects.
Alex Bright the Resident District Commissioner –RDC says that the district wants to recover all government revolving funds disbursed for YLP, Uganda Women Empowerment Programme, and Emyooga to set the good ground for the Parish Development Model (PDM) Program.
According to Saulo Balaba the Chairperson Bundimulinga III Youth Boda Boda group in Nyahuka town council, the group was paying back well before they were interrupted by the covid-19 lockdown and floods.
Balaba explained that many other groups have failed to pay back the money due to the effects of the lockdown and the suppressing economic environment. The group has paid back only 6.5 million Shillings out of the 12 million they received.
YLP is a revolving fund initiated by the Government of Uganda in 2013 to address unemployment among the youth. Funds are advanced to youth interest groups of 10 to 15 people where repayment after one year attracts a five percent service fee to cater for inflation.
However, the principal and service fee is required to be repaid within three years.
