Parliamentary Forum on Social Protection oppose SAGE budget cut

By Francis Lubega

25^th Jan 2023

The Uganda Parliamentary Forum on Social Protection has raised fears for the coming financial year 2023/2024 budget where the money meant to support older persons under Uganda Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment (SAGE) programme has been cut by almost 80%.

Addressing journalists at parliament, the Forum Chairperson Flavia Kabahenda says the government has cut the budget from Sh121bn to Sh24bn in the 2023/24 budget yet there’s also an arrear of Sh5.1bn in the previous financial years.

According to the statistics SAGE programme enrolled 306,516 older person’s across the country starting at the age of 80 years old and each receives 25,000/= per month.

Now Kabahenda asks parliament to reinstate the original budget of Sh121bn, lower the beneficiaries’ age from 80 to 75yrs and also provide all the necessary funds to National Identifications Registration Authority-NIRA.