Frank Tumwebaze, the Minister for Gender Labour and Social Development while launching the program on Thursday in Lira says that they are plans to reduce on the age.
The Ministry of Gender Labour and
Social Development is considering reducing the age of beneficiaries of the
Social Assistance Grant for the Elderly- SAGE program.
Through
the initiative, the government extends monthly stipend of 25,000 Shillings to
senior citizens aged 80 and above to support them fight poverty and attain
basic consumption.
Initially, during
the piloting of the project, the government started with elderly people aged above 65
years.
However, in 2018,
the government announced the National rollout of the SAGE program covering
persons aged 80 and above in all the 315 Districts in the Country as long as
they are registered with NIRA and have a valid National ID.
The move was aimed
at ensuring that people of the most advanced age are universally covered.
Frank Tumwebaze,
the Minister for Gender Labour and Social Development while launching the
program on Thursday in Lira says that they are plans to reduce on the age.
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Alex Oremo Alot, the Lira District LCV Chairperson argued that most elderly people recdie before they could benefit because they have not clocked 80 years.
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Oremo also said most of the beneficiaries are not receiving the money due to
other challenges like loss of National IDs while others are not registered at
all.
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Stephen Kasaija, the Assistant Commissioner in the Ministry said that those who
lost their IDs will be paid although those who had not registered for IDs
cannot be paid since they are not in the database.
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Jimmy Awany, a resident of Adyel Division in Lira municipality says despite the
challenge of what he termed as “high age group” for one to receive SAGE, most
of the people who receive the money end up losing it in the hands of selfish
people.
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In Lira District, a total of 3,452 persons comprising of 1,527 males and 1,925
females are targeted to be the new beneficiaries.
