Browsing by Author "Mary, Ejang"

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    The effect of COVID-19 on financial inclusion in the Kigezi and Lango subregions in Uganda
    (Journal of the International Council for Small Business, 2022) Eton, Marus; Fabian, Mwosi; Mary, Ejang
    The year 2020 opened with tough policy measures to control the rapid spread of COVID-19. We sampled, explored, and analyzed the most recent studies that linked COVID-19 to business and finance. We identified two mitigations, which had strong effects on financial inclusion but had been neglected: lockdown and social distancing. We used lockdown and social distancing to conceptualize COVID-19, and developed two theoretical nexuses among COVID-19 and financial inclusion, and COVID- 19 and government policy interventions. We explored each of the nexuses. First, we described the extent of lockdown and social distancing, financial inclusion, and government policy interventions. Second, we compared these nexuses in both the Lango and Kigezi subregions, and explained the significance of the interventions. Third, we used beta coefficients to quantify the effects of COVID-19 on financial inclusion. We provide a solid foundation for compulsive online banking in developing countries.
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    Financial Accessibility and Poverty Reduction in Northern Uganda, Lango Sub-Region
    (Research Publish Journals, 2019) Eton, Marus; Picho Epiphany, Odubuker; Mary, Ejang; Benard, Patrick Ogwel
    Access to a well-functioning financial system can economically and socially empower individuals and in particular poor people, allowing them to better integrate into the economy of their countries and to actively contribute to their development and protect themselves against economic shocks. The paper examined the contributions of financial accessibility in supporting poverty reduction in northern Uganda. A cross sectional study design was adopted. The data was collected by use of structured and closed ended questionnaire. The findings revealed that financial institutions had not done much to reach the poor, which limits their productivity capacity and capacity to acquire productive assets. While there are isolated pockets of poverty reduction as expressed by participants’ ability to own personal assets and easily manage their dependency burdens, a few individuals have access to better health facilities. The strides to promote financial accessibility are highly commendable, though poverty remains problematic even among those who have access to financial resources. The paper therefore recommends that financial institutions should endeavor to offer financial management training to clients before extending credit to them, especially clients with some noticeable levels of illiteracy. There is also need for a comprehensive analysis on the current poverty reduction models and their impact on the very poor, in terms of production capacity, owning productive assets and living meaningful lives.
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    Financial inclusion: Is it a precursor to agricultural commercialization amongst smallholder farmers in Uganda? A comparative analysis between Lango and Buganda sub-regions
    (Journal of Economics and International Finance, 2021) Eton, Marus; Fabian, Mwosi; Mary, Ejang; Sammy, Godfrey Poro
    This study examines the contributions of financial inclusion in supporting agricultural commercialization amongst smallholder farmers in Uganda in Lango and Buganda sub-regions. The researcher adopted a comparative study and cross-sectional survey design where descriptive, bivariate and multivariate data analysis was used. Chi square procedure was run to test the hypothesis that financial inclusion does not affect agricultural commercialization amongst smallholder farmers in Lango and Buganda sub-regions. Regression analysis was specifically used to predict the level of change in agricultural commercialization due to changes in financial inclusion. The study identified financial inclusion as one variable that can predict the success of agricultural commercialization, though it varies from one region to another. In Lango, efforts by government to increase financial access is a positive factor to agricultural commercialization while in Buganda, it is a negative factor. In Lango, land is communal and not individually owned. Therefore, smallholder farmers need to access finances to purchase land for commercial farming. In Buganda, however, land is freehold, which makes smallholder farmers to own chunks of land from their parents. The study has established some common factors that limit agricultural commercialization in both Lango and Buganda, that is, expensive equipment and fluctuating prices while poor infrastructure is no longer a big worry. This paper recommends that, financial service providers should revise their lending terms downwards to reach smallholder farmers, some of whom lack collateral security to pledge for credit. While the government takes credit for improving infrastructure, government, through her policy organs like ministry of agriculture, should provide buffer prices against price fluctuations.
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    Information and Communication Technology Adoption and the Growth of Small Medium Enterprises in Uganda: Empirical Evidence from Kampala City Council Authority
    (Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, 2019) Eton, Marus; Constant, Okello Obura; Fabian, Mwosi; Benard, Patrick Ogwel; Mary, Ejang; Francis, Ongia
    The study used cross sectional study design and data were collected from business owners operating within the divisions of Kampala Capital City Authority. The study found out that the level of ICT adoption in Kampala Capital City Authority was moderate. ICT adoption was mostly marked with establishment of separate IT department, use of bulk SMS, printers, scanners and photocopiers. Specialized ICT skills, regular updates and outsourcing of ICT functions appeared to be a key challenge businesses face in ICT adoption. The findings however, indicated that growth of SMEs is a conglomeration, of which adoption of ICT is a microcosm. The study recommends that Government of Uganda through Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation and Ministry of Finance Planning and Economic Development should consider promoting ICT business growth by sponsoring business software development, and distributing the same at subsidized costs. Training institutions should strengthen the ICT training programs by aligning them to the required job demands as dictated in the field of business. Government should also promote the application and adoption of ICT e-business by slashing the exorbitant taxes charged on the use of these products. Government should stimulate entrepreneurship development training to curb the shortfalls in staff competence, individual job creation and profitability skills.