MASAKA .
Junior Minister for Youth and Children Affairs ,Balamu Barugahara has directed the Masaka District Senior Community Development Officer ,Ms Lilian Musisi to generate a full list of youths who are benefiting from the Youth Livelihood Programme(YLP) and other government poverty alleviation programmes .
While on a tour of projects under YLP , Parish Development Model(PDM) and the Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme (UWEP) in Masaka on Monday ,Mr Balamu said he had received reports that a big portion of the funds were misappropriated by the technocrats at the district and the few youths who received the money failed to pay back the money .
“If the youths had received the money , NRM could be getting votes in Masaka ,but because they are frustrated ,it is the reason they continue to vote for the opposition . Let the CDO provide a list of beneficiaries and the RDC and DPC should investigate and establish who exactly benefited from YLP,” the minister said
The Minister’s directive followed a report by Ms Musisi which indicated that the district received Shs1billion for YLP, but less than Shs150m has so far been recovered from the youths . Ms Musisi could hardly explain how many youths in the district have so far benefited from the programme .
“If youths don’t return the money, the deny others a chance to get money and changes their lives ,”Mr Balamu said
YLP funds are released by the government annually as revolving capital to selected youth groups to enable members start income generating projects and fight poverty.
Ms Musisi explained that many youth in Masaka District have failed to account for YLP funds advanced to them by the government to start up income generating activities, claiming that they registered huge losses.
“Some are still on the run while others ended up in jail and were only released after paying some money.” she said
For the Emyooga programme , Ms Musisi said the district received Shs1.7billlion and only Shs679m has been refunded by beneficiaries while Shs 716million for UWEP ,only Shs229million has been recovered .
Ever since the government started releasing the YLP and UWEP funds in 2011, both projects have been shrouded in controversy over alleged improper management of the funds.