Pallisa district council demands CAO transfer
Apr 16, 2006
PALLISA district local council has demanded the transfer of the chief administrative officer, Vitalis Oswan, writes ,b>Nathan Etengu.</b>
PALLISA district local council has demanded the transfer of the chief administrative officer, Vitalis Oswan, writes ,b>Nathan Etengu.
The council, presided over by speaker Fred Madautu, accused Oswan of failing to provide funds for council business.
“We have never had a council meeting since the beginning of this financial year. The only meeting we held was in June last year when we were approving the 2005/06 budget. When we ask for funds, the CAO says the district lacks funds,†Madautu said.
He said the council resolved during a recent meeting to send a delegation to the local government ministry to expedite Oswan’s transfer.
“We cannot work with him anymore,†Madautu said.
He said the district chairman, Bob Wasugirya, would lead a delegation to the ministry to present the matter.
Oswan, who took up office in September 2005, however, said he inherited debts.
“Much of the money we receive is used to pay outstanding debts, many of which are court charges,†Oswan said.
He said the district last month settled a debt of sh54m to the Uganda Revenue authority, which had secured a court order to block any funds to the district. “They (councillors) are entitled to their own opinion. They know very well that even before I joined the district, they were not sitting due to lack of funds. Before they blame me for failure to provide funds for their sitting allowances, they should first blame my predecessor,†Oswan said.
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The council, presided over by speaker Fred Madautu, accused Oswan of failing to provide funds for council business.
“We have never had a council meeting since the beginning of this financial year. The only meeting we held was in June last year when we were approving the 2005/06 budget. When we ask for funds, the CAO says the district lacks funds,†Madautu said.
He said the council resolved during a recent meeting to send a delegation to the local government ministry to expedite Oswan’s transfer.
“We cannot work with him anymore,†Madautu said.
He said the district chairman, Bob Wasugirya, would lead a delegation to the ministry to present the matter.
Oswan, who took up office in September 2005, however, said he inherited debts.
“Much of the money we receive is used to pay outstanding debts, many of which are court charges,†Oswan said.
He said the district last month settled a debt of sh54m to the Uganda Revenue authority, which had secured a court order to block any funds to the district. “They (councillors) are entitled to their own opinion. They know very well that even before I joined the district, they were not sitting due to lack of funds. Before they blame me for failure to provide funds for their sitting allowances, they should first blame my predecessor,†Oswan said.
Ends