AT LAST, SAGE REACHES IGANGA

Ever since the Social Assistance Grant for the Elderly program (SAGE) was started in Uganda in 2010, many people have been complaining of marginalization. This as been due to selective implementation where 15 districts were picked under the first phase.

 The program later added on another 63 districts between 2016 and 2018, though, this made everyone especially the elderly happy. That will now be history after cabinet took a decision to include all districts onto the program.

 The ministry of Gender Labour and Social development has already established regional coordination offices to over-see the implementation of the program. Tom Omutu, the Busoga Region SAGE Coordinator says that all old persons of 80 years and above are to be paid 25,000/= per month beginning in January 2020.

To qualify, an old person must be 80 years and above. They must have been registered by National Identification and Registration Authority NIRA. Omutu adds Ministry of Gender officials will be picking names of elderly people from NIRA before enumerating them on the payroll at sub county level.

 He urges local and elderly persons leaders to help the would be beneficiaries to register at all levels to qualify for the grant. 

90 year old Werukwagana Dauson of Nawanyingi welcomed the program. He says that many elderly people were suffering in rural areas without care as their children have shifted to urban places.

 

"I thank government for this gesture but let parliament reduce on the age from 80 to at least 70 to accomodate many elderly people who lack help. 

Monday, December 2, 2019