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Officers fail to withdraw savings from police sacco
Demand. Police officers have asked Inspector General of Police Martins Okoth Ochola to investigate the delays at the sacco. PHOTO BY ALEX ESAGALA
What you need to know:
- The deputy police spokesperson, Ms Polly Namaye, said the chaos was due to uncoordinated messages after the Exodus Sacco organised Easter packages and all officers converged at its headquarters.
KAMPALA. Majority of the police officers, who save money in the Police Exodus Sacco, are losing patience after failing to withdraw their savings. They have asked Inspector General of Police Martins Okoth Ochola and the Ministry of Trade and Cooperatives to investigate.
Some police officers told Daily Monitor that thousands of their colleagues have attempted to withdraw part of their savings or get loans from the Sacco in vain.
Last week, there was a scuffle at Police Exodus Sacco headquarters at Naguru, Kampala as thousands of police officers from all over the country lined up to make transactions.
One police officer, who declined to reveal his identity for fear of reprimand, said: “I am not alone. We are so many victims. The IGP and Ministry of Trade should carry out an audit of the police Exodus Sacco. I am afraid our money could have been stolen.”
The Police Exodus Sacco, which was started in 2007, has not held an annual general meeting or changed leadership in more than two years.
All police officers are members of Police Exodus Sacco and contribute to it by compulsion.
Another senior officer said he went to get a fraction of his savings, but he could not be served due to long queues.
The officer said the sacco used to provide services at regional headquarters, but they stopped, forcing every officer to travel to police headquarters to withdraw money.
The deputy police spokesperson, Ms Polly Namaye, said the chaos was due to uncoordinated messages after the Exodus Sacco organised Easter packages and all officers converged at its headquarters.
“However, the sacco this week became overwhelmed by the number of officers intending to withdraw their money. The sacco has similar activities taking place at nine other regional centres including: Masaka, Mbarara, Moroto, Gulu, Mbale, Hoima, Kabarole, Arua and Lira,” Ms Namaye said.
She added: “The police, therefore, would like to assure all our officers as well as the general public that the Exodus Sacco is doing everything possible to ensure that services of the Sacco reach all the clients equally and timely. This will be possible particularly because the sacco has deployed professional police officers. In addition the sacco continues to expand to target clients in other areas.”
However, police officers said regional headquarters no longer give out money whether in form of loans or savings.
