National ID shortage limits Lango Skilling Hub graduates’ access to funds

13 August 2026, 4:33 pm

By Winnie Auma

Graduates of the Presidential Industrial Skilling Hub in Lango are missing out on government funds intended to help them develop their businesses due to a lack of National Identification cards.

George Abdul, the Chairperson of the Presidential Industrial Skilling Hub for Lango Zone, said President Yoweri Museveni last year allocated UGX 50 million to help student SACCOs in all districts across the Lango Sub-region benefit from the funds.

However, Abdul said uptake of the funds remains low in Oyam and Otuke districts compared with other areas, despite the initiative being intended to reduce youth unemployment.

Responding to the issue, Emmanuel Okello, the Commercial Officer for Otuke District, said most graduates do not have National Identification cards, which are a prerequisite for accessing the funds.

He said only 20 out of more than 100 former students in Otuke District had so far benefited from the funds, adding that about UGX 40 million of the allocated UGX 50 million remained available for disbursement.

Okello said the district was encouraging the graduates to register for National Identification cards so they can access the funds once their identification documents are ready. He said seven of the 20 beneficiaries were enrolled later and received the funds after obtaining their National Identification cards.

Meanwhile, Alex Enon, the Commercial Officer for Oyam District, said the lack of National Identification cards among young people was also limiting access to the funds in the district.

Enon said only 13 out of 122 former students had benefited from the funds because they had enrolled in the skilling programme without National Identification cards and therefore did not appreciate their importance at the time.

He said the government is providing the graduates with between UGX 300,000 and UGX 1.5 million, depending on the businesses in which they were trained.

Enon added that the beneficiaries are required to repay the funds with an annual interest rate of six per cent.

President Museveni introduced the Presidential Industrial Hubs programme in the 2021/22 financial year to provide free vocational training to unemployed young people across the country.

The programme equips learners with practical skills in trades such as tailoring, welding, carpentry, baking, shoemaking, construction and hairdressing, among others.

Graduates are also supported with start-up capital or equipment to help them establish businesses.

Since its establishment in the 2021/22 financial year, the Lango Zonal Presidential Industrial Skilling Hub has graduated more than 1,200 learners, many of whom have gone on to establish small businesses and generate income using the vocational skills acquired at the facility.