Members on Uganda parliamentary forum on social protection are calling the government to urgently look for financial resources to roll out the social assistance grant for empowerment program countrywide. This program was established to cater for the well-being of elderly people in the country.
Nakawunde Sarah woman Member of Parliament Mpigi district says, for over 5 years the program has been in place it shouldn’t be supporting only 15 districts out of 111 districts in the country. Through this program each elderly person is entitled to receive 25000/= on monthly basis.
She was speaking during a meeting between civil society organizations and members of parliament on social protection platform to forge way forward on lobbying for more financial resources from the government to facilitate the well-being of vulnerable groups.
Speaking at the same meeting, Richard Ssewakiryanga, the executive director of Uganda NGO forum has noted that the introduction of universal health care and child grants for mothers and children less than five years can lead to significant benefits on health outcomes, improved human capital and reduced expenditure on healthcare. The government of Uganda should therefore consider introducing such program.