By Juliet Nalwooga
The National Identification Registration Authority (NIRA), working with the ministry of gender, labour and social development is set to roll out a remedial registration exercise for elderly persons across the country.
Addressing journalists at the Uganda Media Center in Kampala, the state minister in charge of elderly persons’ affairs, Dominic Mafwabi Gidudu said this is meant to enable all elderly persons to access government programs like the Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment.
He says according to a recent survey, over 54,000 elderly persons eligible for SAGE cash do not receive the money because they lack national IDs.
Gidudu says district local governments will soon set dates for the national ID registration exercise.
In 2018, government extended the SAGE program through which elderly persons are meant to receive a monthly stipend of Shs 25,000 but many have been locked for various reasons including lack of national IDs.
Meanwhile, the minister for gender is this afternoon expected to present a statement before parliament on the proposed review of the program.
