By Frederick Kiwanuka

THE National Agriculture Advisory Services (NAADS) taskforce has asked Luwero officials to pay over sh70m. The money was lost through the fake supply of materials, falsification of documents and accounting.

The taskforce recently released a report accusing several officials of abuse of office, embezzlement and neglect of duty.

The 40-page report accused the district NAADS co-coordinator, Charles Kazibwe, of mismanaging the programme. Kazibwe was allegedly drawing fuel which he failed to account for, and fraudulently drawing money purportedly for back-stopping at sub-county level.

The taskforce asked Kazibwe to refund sh2.6m spent on the fuel. He is also expected to pay sh850,000 which he allegedly drew to facilitate a non-existing constituency planning meeting. The taskforce also asked four NAADS officials from Butuntumula sub-county to refund over sh4m which was lost through forgery, false accounting and neglect of duty.

Officials in other subcounties were also asked to refund money, which was lost either through illegal payments, embezzlement, double payment for activities, falsification of documents or neglect of duty.

The taskforce further recommended the sacking of Nyimbwa sub-county NAADS coordinator, Walulya Mukasa, for including his wife, mother and father in the programme.

“Walulya should be relieved of NAADS duties,” says the report The taskforce observed that some officials in the sub-county were not guided on the use of the funds.