Govt to pay allowances to elderly
The Government is planning a monthly facilitation to the elderly persons who are not catered for under the pension scheme and NSSF.
By Conan Businge
The Government is planning a monthly facilitation to the elderly persons who are not catered for under the pension scheme and NSSF.
“The automatic cash transfer scheme will target people of 70 years and above throughout the country. These elders will receive about sh20,000 per month, the labour state minister Emmanuel Otaala said.
“There are old people that have greatly contributed to this country’s development through taxes and other areas, but are not getting pension or other benefits (like in informal private sector workers under NSSF),†Otaala said, adding “Government will make sure that those without any such support are facilitated monthly.â€
Otaala explained that the scheme was initially supposed to cover six districts, but has of late been revised to cut across the whole country. But it is still in its preliminary stages of being drafted, he said, and will be tabled to Cabinet soon.
The Government is ‘picking a leaf’ from Lesotho and South Africa. The three ministers Syda Bbumba (finance minister), Otaala, and the deceased Omwony Ojok; were in these countries to study the scheme, last year. Otaala said it has yielded in these countries, and “can easily work out here (in Uganda).â€
Uganda has around 1.5 million elderly people with 4.6% above the age of 60, according to the 2006 report on the last census. These have no special law to protect and provide for them in spite of the fact that they started paying taxes to the Government five decades ago.
However, state minister for the elderly and the disabled, Sulaiman Madada, says although there is no special law for them as of now, Government takes great attention and recognition of the aged people.
Herbert Baryayebwa, the commissioner for disability and the elderly in the gender ministry, says the Government realised that, unlike other vulnerable groups like orphans, women and disabled persons, the elderly have not benefited from government programmes.
He says with financial support from the Department For International Development, the ministry conducted a research to find out the specific needs of the elderly. The findings are now being used to design interventions, taking into account the gender dimensions.
The research showed that older people are disgruntled, saying they have been excluded from government programmes, isolated by members of their families, denied access to medical care and lack income.
Media reports show that many elderly are neglected, abused, discriminated upon and ill-treated in the hospitals, taxis, buses and villages. Many have lost their children to war and AIDS and cannot rely on traditional family support which collapsed with increased market economy. Instead, many of them are caring for orphaned grandchildren. They lack opportunities for any active participation and their minds deteriorate as a result. They can not access essential drugs and free medical services. About 50% of Ugandan orphans, according to the 2005 Chronic Poverty Report, are under the care of grandparents.
The Government is planning a monthly facilitation to the elderly persons who are not catered for under the pension scheme and NSSF.
“The automatic cash transfer scheme will target people of 70 years and above throughout the country. These elders will receive about sh20,000 per month, the labour state minister Emmanuel Otaala said.
“There are old people that have greatly contributed to this country’s development through taxes and other areas, but are not getting pension or other benefits (like in informal private sector workers under NSSF),†Otaala said, adding “Government will make sure that those without any such support are facilitated monthly.â€
Otaala explained that the scheme was initially supposed to cover six districts, but has of late been revised to cut across the whole country. But it is still in its preliminary stages of being drafted, he said, and will be tabled to Cabinet soon.
The Government is ‘picking a leaf’ from Lesotho and South Africa. The three ministers Syda Bbumba (finance minister), Otaala, and the deceased Omwony Ojok; were in these countries to study the scheme, last year. Otaala said it has yielded in these countries, and “can easily work out here (in Uganda).â€
Uganda has around 1.5 million elderly people with 4.6% above the age of 60, according to the 2006 report on the last census. These have no special law to protect and provide for them in spite of the fact that they started paying taxes to the Government five decades ago.
However, state minister for the elderly and the disabled, Sulaiman Madada, says although there is no special law for them as of now, Government takes great attention and recognition of the aged people.
Herbert Baryayebwa, the commissioner for disability and the elderly in the gender ministry, says the Government realised that, unlike other vulnerable groups like orphans, women and disabled persons, the elderly have not benefited from government programmes.
He says with financial support from the Department For International Development, the ministry conducted a research to find out the specific needs of the elderly. The findings are now being used to design interventions, taking into account the gender dimensions.
The research showed that older people are disgruntled, saying they have been excluded from government programmes, isolated by members of their families, denied access to medical care and lack income.
Media reports show that many elderly are neglected, abused, discriminated upon and ill-treated in the hospitals, taxis, buses and villages. Many have lost their children to war and AIDS and cannot rely on traditional family support which collapsed with increased market economy. Instead, many of them are caring for orphaned grandchildren. They lack opportunities for any active participation and their minds deteriorate as a result. They can not access essential drugs and free medical services. About 50% of Ugandan orphans, according to the 2005 Chronic Poverty Report, are under the care of grandparents.