By Tolit Ivan
There is divided opinions among the Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) members on whether to write-off the UGX 129Bn Youth Livelihood Fund Debts as government face significant challenges in recovering funds disbursed to the youth.
Youth Livelihood Fund is a government initiated livelihood programme to support poor and unemployed youth in all the districts.
While the YLP has disbursed Shs169 billion since 2013, only Shs40 billion had been recovered by 2018/2019, leaving estimated at Shs129 billion outstanding.
Several districts are grappling with low recovery rates, including Kitgum, Gulu, and Lira.
For example, Gulu district has recovered less than 150 million shillings out of over 600 million disbursed to 87 youth groups.
This situation is hindering the program’s ability to support other youth initiatives and address unemployment.
While meeting accounting officers from districts in Acholi, Lango and West Nile sub regions in Gulu city on Wednesday Gilbert Olanya, the PAC Chairperson, proposed that the outstanding balance be written off.
According to Olanya, groups that received the money no longer exist and there is no formula government has initiated to recover the money. But Okin Phillip Polly, the Chua West Constituency Member of Parliament, a PAC disagreed with the proposal saying it will set a bad precedent for other poverty alleviation programs including the Parish Development Model and Emyooga.