Office of the Prime Minister

There have been reports in the media concerning Cash Payment and deposits to individual Accounts for official duties. I would like to makeclarification as follows.

1.0 The advances were for Financial Year 2010/2011 which financial year was audited by the Auditor General.

2.0 The advances were for official activities and not for personal use as portrayed by the media.

3.0 The advances came about as a result of an Audit Query which was raised by the Auditor General on why there were many cash withdrawals. As a result it advised that individual accounts be credited to minimize risks associated with cash. 

The alternative of not carrying the cash and/or not depositing on individual accounts was not to implement any programmes. It should be appreciated that the recovery programme under the Peace, Recovery and Development Plan moved very fast partly because of our being proactive. The basic questions therefore to ask should be the following:

i. Were the activities undertaken in the workplan?

ii. Were there budget provisions?

iii. Were the procurement process followed?

iv. Was their value for money?

v. Was there accountability?

4.0 Most of the deposits reflected are related to expenses in the following:

i. Fuel, travel upcountry, stationery and per diem of participating officials in workshops, seminars or conferences.

ii. Public address system, tents, chairs, publicity and refreshments.

iii. Fuel refunds and meals (coffee, lunches, etc)

iv. Per diem and warm clothing allowances for those travelling outside the country.

5.0 Under the Emergency phase, communities were being supported to resettle from IDP Camps to their ancestral homes in Northern Uganda, most of the payments for these interventions were made through cash. 

At this point in time, the area did not have a proper road network and water facilities as most of these had been destroyed during the war. We were however under pressure to expeditiously support the communities to settle down.

6.0 Office of the Prime Minister was therefore cleared by the PPDA through a framework contract, we signed with Hydraform International (Pty) Limited of South Africa to procure Hydraform block making machines, train communities on the use of the Technology, procure building materials and construct buildings using Force on Account method. 

The Force on Account however involved the procurement of some building equipments through the contracts Committee. Local building materials were procured and payment for these materials and related services was done at source.

7.0 The activities undertaken include training programmes on Hydraform technology for the Youth, Uganda Police Force and UPDF. Therefore, the advances made to several officers were used on the following.

i. Procurement of local building materials which included:

a. Ordinary construction sand

b. River sand

c. Hardcore

d. Coarse aggregates

e. Soil excavation

ii. Payment for local labour which included

a. Block production

b. Foundation

c. Substructure

d. Superstructure

e. Roofing

f. Finishes

g. Painting

iii. In the case of Karamoja where there were more challenges, the cash was used for the payment of water and security

iv. Procurement of food

v. Payment for fuel, lubrication and onsite repairs

vi. Training allowances and medication for the trainees

vii. Training tools and materials

viii. In areas where training programmes were being undertaken like for the Uganda Police training, UPDF training and Youth training, we paid for trainees’ upkeep and bedding requirements

ix. Transportation costs

x. Monitoring, coordination, mobilization and supervision.

8.0 As a result of this Hydraform Technology Training Programme, the following projects were completed.

i. Angole Wera Village Hydraform Construction Project in Amuria District. Twenty five (25) housing units including a Health Centre were built and handed over to the beneficiaries.

ii. Nanduget Hydraform Housing Construction Project and Kitchen facilities in Moroto District, Karamoja Sub-region. Twenty (20) housing units were built and handed over to the beneficiaries.

iii. Kamswahili Hydraform Housing Construction Project and Pit latrines in Moroto District. Twenty (20) housing units were built and handed over to the beneficiaries.

iv. Kweyo Women’s Group Construction Project in Gulu district. Twenty (20) housing units were built and handed over to the beneficiaries.

v. Apaa Hydraform Construction Project in Amuru district. A Health Centre and two semi detached Health Workers’ houses were built and handed over to the beneficiaries.

vi. Hydraform Construction Projects at Northern Uganda Youth Development Centre (NYYDC) in Gulu District. A girls’ dormitory and 3 semi detached self contained houses were built.

vii. 54 Acholi Chiefs’ Housing Project in Acholi Sub-region. Forty nine (49) houses have been built and completed. Five (5) houses were not built due to land wangles.

viii. Additional facilities on 54 Acholi Chiefs’ houses i.e. ceilings, water harvesting facilities, Pit latrines, repainting and rough casting of all the houses.

ix. Hydraform Construction Project at Acherere by the UPDF in Moroto district. Twenty (20) housing units have been built and work is nearing completion.

x. Hydraform Construction Project at Lorengedwat in Nakapiripirit district. Twenty (20) housing units have been built and work is nearing completion.

xi. Construction of Teachers’ and Health Workers’ houses in pilot districts of Zombo, Otuke, Lamwo and Napak. Work is ongoing. All these projects involved large sums of money, hence the big advances that were made to the officers.

Pius Bigirimana

PERMANENT SECRETARY

10 August 2012

Northern Uganda Youth Development Centre (NUYDC) Since 2007 to date. Click to view

NUYDC empowers youth to be job creators. Read more

Under DFID funding, the following buildings have been constructed. Click for more

Institutions qualified to conduct non-formal vocational skills training for NUYDC. Click to view

Graduation list-2011: Internal and External examinations. Read more

 Carpentry and Joinery class during a practical Session. Read more

 Some of the Paintings from the Painting and Decoration Class. Click for more

Building and Concreting Practice Class during Practical session. Read more