Kaliro health officer told to refund sh5m

Jun 07, 2011

THE Inspector General of Government (IGG) has ordered Kaliro district health officer Dr. Sarah Kasewa Dhikusoka to refund sh4.9m which she received as ‘disturbance’ allowance.

BY CHARLES KAKAMWA

THE Inspector General of Government (IGG) has ordered Kaliro district health officer Dr. Sarah Kasewa Dhikusoka to refund sh4.9m which she received as ‘disturbance’ allowance.

In a letter of May 17, Muzamil Abon, who represented the IGG, directed Dhikusoka to clear the payments within six months. Dhikusoka was an employee of Kamwenge district local government until October 2008, when she requested to be transferred to Kaliro.

“Kaliro district local government records show that a total of sh3,574,255 was paid to you in three installments between October 13, 2008 and March 25, 2009 and sh1, 421,110 was paid to the Uganda Revenue Authority in respect of Pay As You Earn tax arising from the disturbance allowance paid to you.

“It has been established that since you requested to be transferred to Kaliro, your claim and subsequent payment of the allowance contravened provisions of Government standing orders (Chapter 1, Section E-1 Sub-section 2(c)),” the letter, copied to the chief administrative officers of Kaliro and Kamwenge districts stated.

Meanwhile, the IGG has directed the Namutumba chief administrative officer to submit Jamilu Kasajja Kairu, the town clerk, to the district service commission for reprimand.

The IGG, in a report issued on May 11, said Kairu irregularly spent over sh6m on routine maintenance of roads without permission from the contracts committee.

Investigations followed queries raised by the Auditor General. In Iganga district, the IGG has cleared the recruitment of Dr. Jacob Mukose as the National Agricultural Advisory Services coordinator.

The exercise was halted in December last year following complaints that it was marred by irregularities. The petitioners also said Mukose’s track record was questionable.

However, the IGG, in a letter of May 4, 2011 to the Iganga chief administrative officer, noted that the exercise was free and fair. “All the candidates were subjected to interviews, results of which were the basis for Mukose’s recruitment,” the letter read.

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