Apply for loans when you are ready to invest responsibly, skilling hub SACCOS members told
“If the funds are well utilised, President Museveni has promised to add more money in your SACCOs,” she emphasised.
The State House Comptroller, Jane Barekye, making her opening remarks during the Training of District Industrial Hub Chairpersons, RDC, Commercial officer, PWDs representatives, SACCO chairperson leaders representatives, SACCO leaders from Regional President Industrial hubs of West Nile, Zombo, Lango and Acholi on the Management of the SACCO funds from President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at Acholi Zonal Industrial hub Gulu City on October 19, 2025. (Photos by PPU/Tony Rujuta.)
By Admin .
Journalists @New Vision
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The State House on Sunday, October 19, 2025, continued to train the Presidential Industrial Skilling Hub Savings and Credit Co-operative Organisations (SACCOS) leaders on the proper management of funds.
Recently, President Yoweri Museveni supported SACCOs under the Presidential Industrial Skilling Hubs with shillings 8.8 billion to empower the skilling hub beneficiaries with start-up capital. Each SACCO received shillings 50 million.
The State House Comptroller Jane Barekye making her opening remarks during the Training of District Industrial Hub Chairpersons, RDC, Commercial officer, PWDs representatives, SACCO chairperson leaders representatives, SACCO leaders from Regional President Industrial hubs of West Nile, Zombo, Lango and Acholi on the Management of the SACCO funds from President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at Acholi Zonal Industrial hub Gulu City on 19th October 2025. 
The training session at Acholi Presidential Industrial Skilling Hub in Gulu city brought together SACCO members and leaders, commercial officers and district leaders from Acholi, West Nile and Lango regions.
During the training, State House Comptroller Jane Barekye emphasised proper management of funds.
“If the funds are well utilised, President Museveni has promised to add more money in your SACCOs,” she emphasised.
Barkeye also urged SACCO leaders to be hardworking and remain disciplined so that the President’s support benefits all members fairly.
The State House Comptroller Jane Barekye (tsecond left) in the company of Maama Janet (Betty Muhaye) (left) a mobiliser being welcomed by excited Acholi Zonal Industrial hub students as the comptroller to open the Training of District Industrial Hub Chairpersons, RDC, Commercial officer, PWDs representatives, SACCO chairperson leaders representatives, SACCO leaders from Regional President Industrial hubs of West Nile, Zombo, Lango and Acholi on the Management of the SACCO funds from President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at Acholi Zonal Industrial hub Gulu City on 19th October 2025. 
She further called on parents of the beneficiaries to guide them on how to use the money properly by focusing on productive work.
“My advice to the parents is that you encourage these children to use the money to enhance their skills. They shouldn't divert the money to other unproductive things,” she said.
Barekye advised the beneficiaries to apply for the loans only when they feel that they are ready to invest responsibly, saying preparation and planning is key to running a successful business.
“First, have a plan for what you want to use the money for, don’t just get it. With no plan, this money will not do what it’s intended for,” she warned.
Eng. Raymond Kamugisha, the director of presidential projects and industrial hubs, encouraged the trainees to always work in unison, explaining that this will help them to develop easily.
District Industrial Hub Chairpersons, RDC, Commercial officer, PWDs representatives happily attending the Training of District Industrial Hub Chairpersons, RDC, Commercial officer, PWDs representatives, SACCO chairperson leaders representatives, SACCO leaders from Regional President Industrial hubs of West Nile, Zombo, Lango and Acholi on the Management of the SACCO funds from President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at Acholi Zonal Industrial hub Gulu City on 19th October 2025. 
“We shall start to get bigger loans if you work together and have big projects,” he said.
“You should share responsibility and keep in touch with each other so that we can easily follow up with you, and if you get any challenges, always inform us,” he said.
Kamugisha appealed to the commercial officers to give an opportunity to the beneficiaries so that they can register companies to get tenders from the local government.
The facilitators of the training session, trade ministry official Lutalo Joseph and PostBank's Abdallah Aziz Apat, appealed to the trainees to always keep in touch and share ideas that could help their enterprises to thrive.
Success stories from beneficiaries
Jacqueline Ayubu, a former student of the Acholi Presidential Industrial Skilling Hub, revealed that she now owns a shoe-making business and earns a profit of shillings 50,000 daily.
“Before, I was dealing in agricultural produce, having dropped out of school, and I was earning 5,000 per day. I later heard of Acholi Skilling hub through a friend, and I applied. I did a course in shoe making that has changed my life,” she said.
SACCO leaders from Regional President Industrial hubs attending the Training of District Industrial Hub Chairpersons, RDC, Commercial officer, PWDs representatives, SACCO chairperson leaders representatives, SACCO leaders from Regional President Industrial hubs of West Nile, Zombo, Lango and Acholi on the Management of the SACCO funds from President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at Acholi Zonal Industrial hub Gulu City on 19th October 2025. 
“I want to take this opportunity to thank President Museveni for this initiative because if it wasn’t him, I wouldn't be here. I also thank the President for the 50 million support to our SACCO.”
Onek Peter, another beneficiary of the skilling initiative, undertook a course in welding and metal fabrication at the Acholi Presidential Industrial Skilling Hub.
He now owns a workshop at Layibi centre, earning shillings 500,000 a month and also trains other youth.
“I want to thank President Museveni for this initiative and for the skills I gained from here. I dropped out of school because my parents could not afford school fees, but because of this hub, I now work and train other youth in welding,” he said.
Another impactful story was heard from Mwaka Emmanuel Edgar, a former trainee in tailoring at the Acholi Presidential Industrial Skilling Hub. He now owns a workshop in Kitgum town with two employees, paying sh150,000 monthly each, and he is able to save shillings 600,000 monthly.
“I want to thank President Museveni for this opportunity. It helped me to acquire skills, and I'm now earning good money.”
The training is part of a nationwide effort to equip SACCO members and leaders with financial management skills and ensure the sustainability of the government empowerment program.