The permanent secretary in the finance ministry, Ramathan Ggoobi, has said the Government will settle its sh18 billion debt owed to Vision Group.

Ggoobi made the revelation on April 12, 2024, while releasing sh7.687 trillion to finance government expenditure for the fourth quarter of the financial year 2023/24. The money will cover wages, non-wage recurrent expenditure and the development expenditure and arrears for April, May and June 2024.

During the address at the Ministry of Finance headquarters, Ggoobi said the sh18b domestic arrears the government owes Vision Group will be cleared in due course. For the fourth quarter, sh10.4bn has been earmarked to cover domestic arrears.

“The domestic arrears of the New Vision are to be cleared as long as they are verified. Some accounting officers do not clear arrears, suppliers have to be mindful when supplying the government,” Ggoobi said.

“Accounting officers must prioritise payment of service providers on time, pensions and gratuity by the 28th day of every month,” he said.

Ggoobi said that there shall be a display of the payrolls for salaries and monthly pensions on government institutions and cost centres on notice boards every month.

Furthermore, he said that accounting officers must ensure timely submission of performance reports and accountability.

“Given that this is the fourth quarter, accounting officers must ensure that priority is given to meeting any outstanding obligations and should not enter commitments that will lead to accumulation of domestic arrears at the end of the financial year,” he said.

He warned that accounting officers who commit the government to incur debts without paying when the money is released would be relieved of their duties.