(Pakwach) – Residents of Alwi Sub-County are mourning the loss of an elderly woman who collapsed and died while waiting for her SAGE payment from Centenary Bank. The incident occurred on October 16, 2024, at the pay point located at Pangieth Parish Headquarters in Pangyeth Central Village. Sophia Ocidhi, who lived in Theyao Central Village, was reportedly transferred to the pay point by motorcycle, exacerbating her already poor health condition, according to family members.
Her grandson, Fred Akenda, shared that Sophia was unwell prior to the incident. “She insisted on coming to get her money because she missed her June payment,” Akenda said, adding that her condition deteriorated while waiting at the pay point. Tragically, she collapsed and died immediately.
Local leaders, including Robert Odia, the LCIII chairperson of Alwi Sub-County, expressed their concerns at the scene of the incident. Odia called for the establishment of alternative payment methods for SAGE beneficiaries, many of whom are elderly and suffering from various health issues. “We have lost one elderly woman here called Ocidhi Sophia from Theyao Central Village. We are losing our elderly people who tend to come and seek their SAGE payment. Most of these elderly people are sick; they are in their 80s and 90s and rarely leave their houses,” Odia explained. He criticized the current policy that prohibits alternative recipients, stating that it puts the lives of vulnerable individuals at risk.
Odia urged Centenary Bank to revise its policies, suggesting that bank officials should collaborate with local parish chiefs to deliver payments directly to the homes of elderly beneficiaries who are unable to travel to pay points. “They are forced to be carried on a motorcycle and brought to a pay point,” he added.
Attempts to reach Centenary Bank for a response were unsuccessful as local leaders awaited the arrival of police from Pakwach Central Police Station.
The SAGE program, launched in 2013, aims to enhance the well-being of older persons in Uganda by providing a monthly payment of 25,000 shillings to individuals aged 80 and above. However, reports of elderly individuals dying while waiting for their payments have surfaced in various locations, including Kisoro and Amuria
