Borrow wisely for financial stability, police officers told

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Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP) Dr Hadijah Namutebi, the Director of Welfare, Production, and Sports, has urged officers of the Uganda Police Force to embrace financial discipline and borrow wisely to ensure long-term financial stability.

Speaking at the 12th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Police Exodus SACCO, Namutebi emphasised that financial literacy is crucial in empowering officers to make informed economic decisions.

“An officer who is financially ignorant is an officer who is vulnerable,” she said. “We must make financial literacy a standing item on every commander’s monthly agenda. Every officer should know how to budget, how to borrow wisely, and how to invest for tomorrow.”

She made the remarks on Thursday, March 27, while addressing officers at the AGM at the police headquarters in Naguru, Kampala.

Namutebi said the welfare initiative aimed to safeguard officers from financial distress.

She noted that the initiative was not merely a savings scheme but a transformative financial tool designed to provide security and stability.

“SACCOs are not just about savings; they are engines of transformation. We must build a police force that is as strong at home as it is in the field, and that strength begins with financial empowerment,” she stated.

The senior police official also emphasised the need for transparency and accountability in managing the savings scheme, noting that officers’ contributions must be safeguarded.

“Every deduction from your payslip is not just a figure; it is a vote of confidence in yourself and in your future. As supervisors, we are not here to cheer from the sidelines but to ensure that every shilling saved is protected and that every loan disbursed is fair,” she added.

Namutebi called for structured oversight mechanisms, including regular audits and performance-based benchmarks, to ensure efficiency in managing police officers’ savings. She also urged officers to look beyond short-term borrowing and instead focus on sustainable investment opportunities.

“We must shift from merely surviving to financial transformation. Let today mark a renewed commitment to moving from survival to stability, from challenges to solutions,” she concluded.

The AGM was attended by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP), senior police officers, directors, and other stakeholders.