BY ZALIMON BASIGHALHA (GOOD LUCK)
The Board of Directors of Bukonzo United Teachers’ Cooperative Savings and Credits Society- SACCO have requested the Minister of State for ICT and National Guidance, Godfrey Baluku Kabbyanga Kiime to lobby the central government of Uganda to have their SACCO benefit from the pro-people government programs.
Reading a comprehensive Board report to the Minister who was the Chief Guest at their Annual General Meeting which held yesterday at Kisinga Vocational Secondary School in Kisinga Town Council, the Board Chairperson, Erisania Kule, requested Kabbyanga to at least lobby for them on the Luwero-Rwenzori Fund and the Micro-Finance Support Centre, saying that the two government entities are solely aimed at reducing poverty among the citizens of Uganda.
Earlier in the report, Kule indicated that Bukonzo United Teachers’ SACCO was majorly faced by the high financial demands inform of loans by the members/community compared to the SACCO’s ability, a reason to why they request the government’s support in order to boost the SACCO’s capacity and ability to cater for its members adequately.
The Board Chairperson further told Minister Kabbyanga that the SACCO was also faced by other challenges including the lack of enough computers and poor network in the area.
Kule, who described Bukonzo United Teachers’ SACCO as the only viable financial institution in the area, therefore appealed to Hon. Kabbyanga to include their SACCO in his plans and programs as well as to guide the institution on how best it can overcome the challenges.
Bukonzo United Teachers’ SACCO started in October 2009 to support the livelihood of teachers, is currently having 2514 members including non-teachers who work together as a team in most of the social aspects of life.
Mr. Kule revealed that the SACCO last year 2023 alone, was able to extend loans worth over shillings 1.1 billion to the SACCO members with shares worth UGX 214 million and savings worth UGX 288 million.
Responding to the report, Hon Kabbyanga, who commended Bukonzo United Teachers’ SACCO for fulfilling the socio-economic transformation of Ugandans which he said was the one of the pillars of NRM government, quickly pledged a laptop computer to the SACCO management and promised to reach the relevant line ministries to have the SACCO benefit from the government.
The Junior Minister for ICT and National Guidance used the same podium to promise the SACCO leadership that he would convince the rich men and women including those who work in high profile government offices who hail from Kisinga and Kasese district at large who are investing heavily in Kampala and outside the country to come and save in the Bukonzo United Teachers’ SACCO so that their wealth can start benefiting the local residents of Kasese through acquiring/getting loans from the SACCO.
Kabbyanga, who bought shares in the SACCO for two years worth UGX 480, 0000, also brought cash shillings 3 million which were donated to the SACCO to support its operations by the Chief of Defense Forces who is also a son of the soil, Gen. Wilson Mbasu Mbadi.
On the same function, the Kasese District Chairperson, Eliphaz Muhindi Bukombi, appealed to all teachers in the district to properly utilize Bukonzo United Teachers’ SACCO to avoid multiple loans from other financial institutions which he said charge them high interest rates and make teachers unstable at their various schools.
In his remark, the Acting Kasese District Education Officer, Ernest Bwambale Thabugha, described teachers as the light and salt of this world urging them to remain professional and portray a good image both at school and in the community.
ENDS