By Mariam Nalunkuuma

TWELVE officials of the Northern Uganda Social Action Fund (NUSAF) have been sacked over corruption and mismanagement of the project.

The State Minister for northern Uganda, David Wakikona, dismissed three senior officials, seven district technical officers (NDTO’s) and two project assistant accountants based in Apac and Moroto districts.

He named the officials at a meeting at the Imperial Botanical Beach hotel in Entebbe on Saturday.

They include Simon Ongore, Ignatius Apuda, Ruth Pikalith, Jeff Wolmung, Henry Ogena, Fred Owot, Henry Dralega-Olega, Dr. Jowel Ongembo, John Ogweng and Thomas Erupe.

Wakikona stressed that contracts of eight of them would not be renewed and a company had been assigned to carry out an audit. Any official implicated will be prosecuted.

He confirmed that initial assessment of the project showed that Teso had performed better than the other regions. Details will be given when the auditors report, he said.

NUSAF is a project jointly funded by the World Bank and the Government to the tune of over $100m (about sh.174b) for its first phase of implementation. The phase is for a period of five years, in the 18 districts of northern Uganda that have been ravaged by war.

An assessment conducted by the Agency for Sustainable Development Initiative in Apac district from September to October 2006 described NUSAF projects as ineffective, inefficient, having no accountability and non-existent.

Wakikona pointed out the return, resettlement and reintegration of displaced persons and improved living conditions of those still in camps as some of the important issues they will address. Others include the re-integration of former captives and combatants of the LRA.