Teachers warn micro finance against misusing their funds

KAMPALA- Teachers in the private sector under their umbrella, private teachers' union have warned micro finance support centre against misusing their money.

Teachers have expressed fear that the money (sh20 billion) the president allocated them through the micro finance support center is likely to land into wrong hands hence leaving the rightful beneficiaries in dilema.

In a press conference held Thursday at their offices in Kampala, the General Secretary of the private teachers' union, Juma Mwamura demanded that the teachers' body be made part of the planning team of how the money will be distributed.

"It's unrealistic for the micro finance support centre to start planning the distribution of the private teachers' funds without their input " he said.

He urged teachers to unite through SACCOs instead of forming un-coordinated groups which might make it hard for them to access the funds.

The Chairman General of the National organisation of Trade Union (NOTU), Usher Wilson Owere openly said that the micro finance support center has a bad history when it comes to handling teachers' money.

He therefore insisted that this time around he will  follow up the fund to ensure that it is not channeled to wrong people.

"I am worried about microfinance support centre because when government gave them the sh5b for Uganda National Teachers' Union (UNATU) years ago it was a tag of war to get it from them, in fact they remained with some of it " said Owere.

Owere has now issued a month ultimatum to the micro finance support centre to put in place clear modalities of how the money will be distributed.

He added that it should be distributed in time to benefit the teachers who are struggling to live.