Reprimand corrupt public officers â€" MPs
Jan 10, 2009
Members of Parliament on the Local Government Accounts Committee have called on the Government to reprimand public officers who squander public funds.
By Mary Karugaba
Members of Parliament on the Local Government Accounts Committee have called on the Government to reprimand public officers who squander public funds.
Reviewing funds that were given to district municipalities’ between 2001-2007 financial years on Thursday, the MPs discovered that huge amount of money had not been accounted for.
“The Government is loosing a lot of money annually to errant accounting officers. This is embezzlement and therefore tough disciplinary measures should be taken against such officers, depending on the gravity of the matter,†the committee chairman, Geoffrey Ekanya said.
The committee is yet to compile the total figure that was given to the municipalities by the finance ministry during the period.
The MPs observed that many accounting officers at the districts incurred expenditures over and above the approved estimates without seeking approval of the supplementary allocations.
According to Ekanya, if any public officer fails to account for or to produce any part of cash, stores or other items of value entrusted to him, he should make good of the deficiency.
The MPs attributed the problem of failure to account on the districts not complying with the provisions of the Local Governments Finance and Accounting Regulations of 1998. They directed all district accounting officers to recover all outstanding advances given to districts’ officials.
According to the committee, a total of sh26.4b was spent by local governments over and above their approved budgets.
“I know that the ministry of Local Government has taken action against such officers, but this should not stop,†Ekanya said.
Members of Parliament on the Local Government Accounts Committee have called on the Government to reprimand public officers who squander public funds.
Reviewing funds that were given to district municipalities’ between 2001-2007 financial years on Thursday, the MPs discovered that huge amount of money had not been accounted for.
“The Government is loosing a lot of money annually to errant accounting officers. This is embezzlement and therefore tough disciplinary measures should be taken against such officers, depending on the gravity of the matter,†the committee chairman, Geoffrey Ekanya said.
The committee is yet to compile the total figure that was given to the municipalities by the finance ministry during the period.
The MPs observed that many accounting officers at the districts incurred expenditures over and above the approved estimates without seeking approval of the supplementary allocations.
According to Ekanya, if any public officer fails to account for or to produce any part of cash, stores or other items of value entrusted to him, he should make good of the deficiency.
The MPs attributed the problem of failure to account on the districts not complying with the provisions of the Local Governments Finance and Accounting Regulations of 1998. They directed all district accounting officers to recover all outstanding advances given to districts’ officials.
According to the committee, a total of sh26.4b was spent by local governments over and above their approved budgets.
“I know that the ministry of Local Government has taken action against such officers, but this should not stop,†Ekanya said.