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UGX160bn Wealth Creation Funds up for Grabs in Minister’s Office
By Iburahim Natiti Saaka
minister Haruna Kasolo
The State Minister for Microfinance Haruna Kasolo Kyeyune has advised members of the public to form Saccos and groups in order to benefit from government programs like Operation Wealth Creation (OWC).
He said that his office was holding over UGX 40bn meant for distribution to Saccos and there was an additional UGX120bn that remained on the President’s recent operation wealth creation tour. The balance on the President’s tour is apparently with Kyeyune and it is to be disributed to youth and other groups.
“I need at least 17 groups of at least 30 people each per district which already have a project that is running but need additional funding,” Kyeyune said.
Kyeyune made the remarks last week while officiating at the first Muslim Youth Conference on wealth creation at the offices of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC).
The one-day event was organised by the UMSC at the National Mosque in Kampala under the theme: “We are the Missing Link to Wealth Creation.” The theme was about addressing the question of Muslims apparently being side-lined in government projects.
Kyeyune cautioned Muslims youth to upholdfaith, discipline and be mindful on whatever they utter.
“Our regime (NRM) is not for burglars to get money. Stop talking too much of nonsense and also stop being used by the politicians who make you speak dirty words and for them they are in their homes enjoying money, since you make noise as they work,” he said.
Raziya Namakula, the secretary for youth on the UMSC, who headed the organising committee, said that the event was intended to find solutions to the gap of Muslims missing on the wealth creation programme.
“The aim of the conference is to raise awareness among Muslim youths about the missing link to operation wealth creation and highlight the nature of the contemporary changes and their effects on young Muslims in Africa,” she said.
She also tasked the Finance Minister to open up a special bank for Muslims where they will be transacting easily, which will promote the wealth of the youth.
“Our (Muslim) families are bigger than those of other religions. A hajji can marry four women which means that we consume a lot and therefore contribute a lot to the local market. We are no longer in big business yet we are the pioneers of the meat business, taxis, we are farmers and mechanics,” she added.
The Mufti of Uganda Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje used this platform to urge Muslims to engage in government activities in order to benefit from them.
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