Shs 74 Billion so far injected in Lango under PDM and Emyooga -Obua
By Bonny Otim Ogwal and Denish Ongora (editor@vol.co.ug)
Lira City
The Government Chief Whip Denis Hamson Obua has revealed that government has so far disbursed a total shillings 74 Billion to the 10 districts of Lango under the poverty eradication programs of Parish Development Model (PDM) and Emyooga.
According to Obua who is also the Ajuri County legislator, shillings 62Billion have been disbursed to 625 parishes in the 10 districts of Lango under PDM while shillings 12 Billion have been given to Emyooga groups in the different constituencies in Lango.
He was speaking as the Chief guest during the graduation ceremony of 487 students who completed vocational skills training at Lango Zonal Skilling Hub, Lira University on Friday last week.
The students were trained in areas of building and construction, tailoring and garment cutting, carpentry, shoe making, welding and baking among others.
Obua urged the people of Lango to take advantage of the different government programs inorder to increase house hold incomes.
“I can tell you that, statistics do not lie, government has provided funds to you to increase your production and productivity and it will be your choice now to be poor”,Obua said
During the function Obua also underscored the need for government to increase funds allocated for presidential skilling hubs across the country.
He says if the funds are increased it also would also enable the presidential zonal skilling hubs to increase the number of trainees hence producing many hundreds of skilled labor force for the country.
Obua said at the upcoming NRM caucus meeting he will invite the head of the 19 presidential skilling hubs across the county to discuss strategies aimed to improve performance of these institutions but also to interest members of Parliament of the need to increase more funds for the skilling hubs.
He called for the inclusion of the graduates in Emyooga program to support their livelihood but also challenged the graduates to do quality work to raise income for self-sustainability.
“Your attitude will determine your altitude, and I want to tell you that your products will either make you or destroy you, keep your quality top notch as you serve the nation”
State House Comptroller Jane Barekye proposed that the graduates be deployed to rehabilitate the railway lines although Obua said they should join the army where they will be employed under the engineering brigade.
Barekye added that some of these graduates should be enrolled at Kigumba Petroleum Institute to train them to work in the oil pipeline project.
Barekye further said they plan to put up workshops in two districts per region where the graduates can operate temporarily before getting jobs.
Director, presidential Skilling hubs Eng. Raymond A Kamugisha warned those in charge of selecting students to study at the skilling hubs against extorting money from the beneficiaries.
Maj Keith Katungi, the 5th division commander warned the graduates against joining wrong groups that could derail them into committing crimes and deviate them from achieving their goals.
Olobo Emmanuel from Kwania and Alum Charity Okello from Amolatar, testified of gaining skills for self-reliance through the six months training they underwent.
