Gov’t defers Covid-19 cash payment for over 600 beneficiaries in Kitgum

Kitgum, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The government has deferred payment of Covid-19 emergency relief cash for a total of 691 beneficiaries in Kitgum municipality.

Some 3,675 people were registered within the municipality to get the 100,000 Shillings cash relief for those whose daily earnings were affected by the 42 days lockdown instituted by the government.

The beneficiaries in the municipality who included boda boda riders, taxi operators, private school teachers among others were drawn from the three divisions of Central, Pager and Pandwong.

Emmanuel Banya, Kitgum municipal council town clerk on Thursday noted that 2,940 had by this week been paid the emergency relief cash. Out of the 2,940 paid, 1,084 beneficiaries were residents of Central Division, 980 from Pager Division and 876 residents of Pandwong Division.

He however says the government data system deferred payment of some 691 beneficiaries following glitches on their details that included invalid National Identity card NINs, unregistered mobile telephone numbers, and phone numbers that are offline.

Among those whose details were deferred and sent back to Kitgum Municipal Council for verification are 194 residents of Central division, 235 residents of Pager, and 262 from Pandwong division.

Banya says the returned list has been submitted to the respective divisions for display adding that the affected persons are encouraged to visit the offices to cross-check and resubmit correct details before 5 pm on Friday evening.

Banya also noted that a total of 42 people who had been registered were rejected by the data system and notes that they won’t receive any payment.

According to Banya, 21 of the affected beneficiaries are residents of Central Division, eight from Pandwong while 13 are residents of Pager Division.

Kevin Joyce Atim, Kitgum District Vice-Chairperson has tasked the responsible authorities in the Municipal Council to ensure the affected persons are helped to enable them to get the relief cash.

Yesterday, the Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja told Parliament that the government data system rejected details of 87,503 vulnerable people in the second verification exercise.

At least 41.4 billion shillings has so far been paid to 413,500 vulnerable people in the country selected for the relief cash out of the total 54.6 billion shillings set aside by the government.

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