Govt interdicts driver who used ambulance to ferry bricks

Mar 28, 2019

Goddy Otto's interdiction follows public outrage

Goddy Otto, the driver who used a Ministry of Health ambulance to transport bricks instead of patients has been interdicted by the Omoro District Local Government for illegal use of a government vehicle.

Otto has also been banned from travelling outside the country.

According to the interdiction letter written by Akera John Bosco, the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of Omoro district, the driver shall also receive half of the basic salary.

Akera said Otto has been interdicted under the Public Service Standing Orders for misuse of an ambulance by carrying bricks instead of patients.

"During the period of your interdiction, you shall receive half of your basic salary and you may not leave Uganda without the permission of your responsible officer," Akera said in his interdiction letter to Otto.

Otto's interdiction follows public outrage sparked off by a photo of a government ambulance, UG 3506M, stuffed with bricks, which was captured and shared on social media by a concerned citizen living in Omoro district.

The citizen said: "While the sick and pregnant mothers are carried on bicycles and wheelbarrows to hospital, someone in Omoro is carrying bricks in a Government ambulance."

Commenting on the matter, the deputy Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah, also Omoro County MP, said: "I have ascertained that the incident in which a driver misused an ambulance by carrying bricks happened on Thursday last week (March 21). The driver breached the Public Service Standing Orders and abused the use of the district vehicle."

The permanent secretary in the ministry of health, Dr Diana Atwine applauded the citizen who exposed Otto's abuse of the government ambulance.

"I am grateful to the one who took the picture of the abuse of the ambulance. It all of us don't tolerate such evils, we shall make strides in our service delivery," she said.

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