SAGE beneficiaries in Lango struggle to access payment citing long distances

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The beneficiaries of the Social Assistance Grant for Empowerment- SAGE program in Lango are struggling to access payment due to the long distances.

In Lango sub-region, 22,042 persons are benefiting from the program with an additional 7,264 expected to be enrolled from the districts of Lira and Oyam. Post Bank is in charge of disbursing the grants to elders.

The beneficiaries were initially receiving 22,000 shillings per month but the amount was increased to 25,000 shillings. The beneficiaries visit the Post Bank cash point locations which are mostly located in urban centres and in parishes and are far away from the homes of the beneficiaries.

However, some of the beneficiaries argue that it is unfair to ask them to travel long distances of more than 3 kilometers to access payments when their transport costs are higher than the money they receive.

Nicholas Ojom, aged 87-year-old, a resident of Aromo sub county says that he uses a boda boda at a cost of 25,000 million shillings the exact amount he receives.

Ojom argues that the money is inadequate to sustain him for a month.

James Omech, says that he spends 10,000 shillings on transport to collect his ailing grandmother’s benefit. He says that sometimes he is reluctant to collect the money which is almost half of what his grandmother receives.

“Most times I just give her 25,000/- from my pocket instead of going to the bank to pick that money because it makes no difference. What is the point of spending 20,000 shillings on transport to receive 25,000 shillings” He said.

Joyce Mary Muto, the vice-chairperson National Older Persons Council says that there should be coordination between the council, Post Bank and the Ministry regarding payment of the elderly.

Stephen Kasaija, the Assistant Commissioner at the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development advised that older persons can register alternative recipients to help them pick the money from the cash point centres.

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