Africa-Press – Uganda. Lawmakers have called for improved access to banking institutions to enable beneficiaries of the Parish Development Model (PDM) programme receive funds.
The MPs, who were debating the report of the Committee on Public Service and Local Government on the status of the implementation of the PDM, said this will ensure the success of pillar three of the programme that provides for financial inclusion, which seeks to increase access and utilisation of financial products and services.
“There is no bank in the vicinity of the residents of [districts to the north of Teso Sub-region like Kapelebyong, Amuria and Katakwi]. People have to trek to neighbouring districts like Soroti to access money,” Mr Bosco Okiror (Usuk County) said.
Ms Florence Nebanda, the Butaleja District Woman MP, said the district has no banking institution, requiring residents to travel to Mbale District to receive money only to encounter “a lot of red tape.”
Ms Jennifer Driwaru (Maracha) said beneficiaries often spend nights in neighbouring Arua and Koboko districts waiting to receive money.
Speaker Anita Among advised the Local Government minister Raphael Magyezi to push for mobile banking services in districts that do not have established banking institutions.
“You must deal with banks that can take money to the beneficiaries, to help them avoid the long treks and spending nights at verandas of banks,” Speaker Among told Mr Magyezi.
Committee chairperson Martin Ojara Mapenduzi said some banks have provided gadgets to Saccos registered under the programme to ease processes.
“In August, Postbank developed the Wendi platform as a mobile wallet to enable beneficiaries to access the funds without going to the bank. Other banks had also developed apps for PDM and some were already rolling them out,” Mr Ojara said, adding that the presidential directive that all PDM services are free and beneficiaries ought to get all the Shs1m left the banks demotivated.
Mr Peter Ocen (Kole South) proposed facilitation of parish chiefs and sub-county chiefs to tackle cases of extortion from beneficiaries for services.
Mr Magyezi promised to present a comprehensive report to Parliament every six months on the performance of the PDM programme.
For More News And Analysis About Uganda Follow Africa-Press
