Arua council passes new budget

Jun 13, 2007

THE Arua division council has passed it’s 2007/2008 budget worth sh637m. Presenting the budget on Monday, the finance secretary, Collins Onzima, said the council’s local revenue collections had increased.

By Frank Mugabi

THE Arua division council has passed it’s 2007/2008 budget worth sh637m. Presenting the budget on Monday, the finance secretary, Collins Onzima, said the council’s local revenue collections had increased.

The council hopes to raise over sh598m from local revenue sources. Onzima called upon all councillors and technical staff to educate the locals on their tax obligation to boost the collections.

He said every councillor would get a sh30,000 increment for their monthly transport allowance. Under the new rates, councillors, who were getting sh115,000 would get sh145,000 while members of the executive would sign for sh155,000 up from sh115,000.

Onzima announced that the speaker and vice-chairperson would get sh165,000 from sh135,000 while the deputy speaker was shifted from sh135,000 to sh155,000.

The LC3 chairman, Romano Matua, who is paid by the Central Government also had his mileage and accommodation increased from sh300,000 to sh400,000.

Matua said the establishment of new businesses in the town increased the local revenue collections by sh7m.

However, some councillors led by Joyce Amaguru (Bazaar ward), contested the increase saying it portrayed sharp contrasts.

“We wanted the increase to be uniform from sh115,000 to sh165,000 because we are all councillors but the executive and speaker connived to cheat us,”Amaguru complained.

However, Onzima said the executives had more responsibilities than councillors hence the difference in rates.

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