By Rising Nation Correspondent
Napak, Uganda | In a resolute call for integrity, State House Comptroller Jane Barekye has cautioned leaders of the Presidential Industrial Skilling Hub SACCOs against misappropriating funds intended to empower youth and women across Uganda’s regions.
Speaking at the Karamoja Zonal Industrial Skilling Hub in Napak District during a leadership and financial management training session, Ms. Barekye emphasized that transparency and discipline are essential for the sustainability of the government’s skilling and wealth creation programs.
“If you use these funds properly, the government will add more into your SACCOs,” she said, warning that any leader caught diverting funds or engaging in favoritism would face arrest. “This project must not be undermined by greed or corruption.”
The training brought together SACCO leaders from the Karamoja, Sebei, and Teso subregions as part of a countrywide sensitization program following the recent disbursement of UGX 8.8 billion to skilling hub cooperatives. Each SACCO received UGX 50 million as start-up capital for trainees to establish enterprises and expand local production.
Ms. Barekye underscored that the initiative represents a long-term strategy to transform skilled youth into self-reliant entrepreneurs capable of creating jobs in their communities.
“This is a permanent project if handled well. But if mismanaged, you will have failed your people. Do not use these funds to reward friends or punish enemies, money has no tribe, no religion, and no politics,” she said.
Her strong warning reflects the government’s increasing emphasis on accountability within empowerment programs, amid growing concern over financial misuse in cooperative societies. She reminded the leaders that corruption and favoritism are the quickest ways to derail national transformation.
Eng. Raymond Kamugisha, Director of Presidential Projects and Industrial Hubs, echoed her remarks, urging participants to maintain traceability and proper records. “Every beneficiary should be verifiable. Let integrity guide your leadership,” he advised.
Facilitators Joseph Lutalo from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives and Abdallah Aziz Apat from Post Bank Uganda, trained leaders on cooperative governance, savings culture, and financial discipline. Lutalo noted that poor leadership and weak accountability have historically undermined cooperative societies, while Aziz encouraged the culture of saving for sustainability and long-term growth.
Beyond policy discussions, the success stories emerging from the skilling hubs illustrate the program’s transformative impact. Isangu Rose, a graduate from the Karamoja Hub, now owns a bakery in Serere employing four people and saving UGX 450,000 monthly. Awe Jacob from the Teso Hub runs a thriving bakery in Soroti City, while Opio Gerrison, a welder from Abim District, operates a metal fabrication workshop employing three workers.
Their stories serve as living proof that with the right skills and capital, Uganda’s youth can transition from dependency to productivity. But they also underline Ms. Barekye’s warning that mismanagement of funds could extinguish opportunities for thousands of others awaiting their turn.
“Guard this project jealously,” she urged. “This is not about enriching a few, it’s about transforming lives and building the nation’s future.”
As Uganda deepens its investment in industrial skilling and enterprise development, the message from Napak resonates across the country: empowerment without accountability is an empty promise.
