By Nasser Kasozi Akandwanaho
The Minister for Gender, Betty Amongi says government has decided to postpone the plan for disbursement of Covid relief funds to beneficiaries starting thursday 8th July at 10am.
Addressing journalists at the Uganda Media Centre, Amongi said there have been delays in processing of the lists of beneficiaries.
“The basis of payment to beneficiaries is availability of data which is supposed to be received through town clerks. We would then be able to start payment on the basis of the substantial data received. However, by 2pm today, we had received 218,900 households uploaded to our system as the Ministry of Gender out of the 501,107 beneficiaries,”Amongi said.
Minister Amongi said that, Government of Uganda has identified 16 vulnerable groups who are eligible to receive shs Shs100,000 Covid-19 relief cash, whose disbursement will begin on Thursday 8th July.
Amongi said in Kampala, the lists have delayed because the data was first processed at division level, adding that by 2pm, no data had been received by the Gender Ministry.
She said, while other places like Gulu has registered about 4191 beneficiaries whereas Kira Municipality has over 1316 as the top districts who have already sent in the lists of beneficiaries.
“The meeting we had this morning, they (KCCA officials) assured us data is with them at town council and that 70% has been collected at division level and would be able to send it to the ministry. When we get this data today, we will be able to reach number of 50% of total number we expect,” she said.
Government named bus and taxi drivers plus conductors; baggage carriers, touts, wheelbarrow pushers, traffic guides and loaders in tax and bus parks, stages and other areas like Kikuubo.
The minister said that government will also send covid relief cash to barmen, DJs, barmaids, waiters, waitresses and bouncers, gym and restaurant workers, food vendors in tax, bus parks and arcades, musicians, comedians, producers, promoters, salon and massage parlour employees, teachers and support staff in in both government and private schools but are not on payroll, car washers, slum dwellers, street vendors, shoe shiners, orphans and vulnerable children.
According to government, only those in cities, municipalities and town councils will be catered for during the exercise where each household will receive shs100,000 to cater for the purchase of 20kg of posho at shs40,000, 10kg of beans for shs25000, a bar of soap at shs3000, a three-liter -jerrican of cooking oil for shs 12000 and the remaining shs20,000 to be used for other items at home.
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