Lira leaders implicated in NUSAF probe
May 02, 2007
AFTER he vowed to arrest whoever was involved in the mismanagement of the Northern Uganda Social Action Fund (NUSAF) projects in Lira, the LC5 chairman, Franco Ojur and his vice, Tonny Ogwang Adwari, have been named among the top culprits.
By Patrick Okino
AFTER he vowed to arrest whoever was involved in the mismanagement of the Northern Uganda Social Action Fund (NUSAF) projects in Lira, the LC5 chairman, Franco Ojur and his vice, Tonny Ogwang Adwari, have been named among the top culprits.
A report by a sub-committee selected to probe the operations of the projects revealed that the two were directly presenting project files to NUSAF district technical officer for funding.
The report, read by Charles Ebange, the committee chairperson, cited six vulnerable group support projects which were directly presented by Ogwang to the NUSAF district technical officer (NDTO) for inclusion in the funding list.
The report also alleges that Ojur used his son Joseph Olwa, a student at Makerere University, to sign a contract of sh33m to construct a road in Abedober in Abako sub-county using Jofam Co. Ltd.
“These leaders were in the habit of directly presenting project files to NDTO for inclusion on the funding list, although the NUSAF operational manual stipulates that the projects be approved by the district technical planning committee,†the report says.
The district council recently set up a committee to investigate the public outcry that the NUSAF project was not benefiting the needy.
A two-month investigation discovered political influence and massive false and lack of accountability, including the incident by Ojur.
Lira has an allocation of sh15b for NUSAF. Out of this, sh8.8b had been used; sh0.9b and sh0.6b had remained for Amolatar and Dokolo districts. This means a total of sh3.7b remains unused.
The report also mentions Dr Joel Ongebo, the former technical officer for allegations of influence peddling. It cited the Apala Road construction project whose contract was awarded to Bob Okao, said to be a brother to Ongebo after he allegedly threatened to divert the project if the contract was not awarded to Rockstone Engineering works. Efforts to get in touch with Ongebo were futile.
The report noted conflicts among the country project management committees, procurement committees, contractors and implementing agencies.
It also noted that out of the 512 community development initiatives, vulnerable group supports and conflict resolution and conflict management projects, 155 were incomplete.
“For four years down the road NUSAF project implementation status is engulfed with shoddy and sub-standard works, especially for community development initiatives (CDI), construction and building works, citing Lira Primary School classroom rehabilitation and Amac Complex Laboratory rehabilitation,†the report reads.
The report also explained the lack of sub-county facilitators who were frustrated for none payment of sh10,000 per day of work as indicated on their appointment letters.
“Others resorted to generate projects only for those who could pay them or for their relatives or for their own communities,†the report reads in parts.
Ojur rubbished the report before the council chaired by the speaker Nelson Adea and described it as not authentic.
“Anything raised against me in this report is not authentic. The report contains false information. There is no truth in it,†Ojur hit back.
“The document is signed by only one person. I term it illegal. However, I need to consult and respond to it at a later date,†he explained.
Ojur said there are many challenges in NUSAF starting from its implementation stage in 2003.
He said he would bring Joseph Olwa, who the report alleges to be his son, before the council and they compare if they look alike.
Ojur, Adwari and others implicated in the report were given one month to respond to the allegation although the committee recommended that they should apologise.
Ogwang Adwari also dismissed the probe report as untrue and motivated by malice. “There was a malicious motive behind that report because I was never contacted to respond to the allegations,†Ogwang said by telephone.
“I have never done anything wrong or directed anybody to include any project for funding. The allegations were brought against me because of the successes of the project in my division because of the good mobilisation I did. Adyel division has always been the best in all programmes. We achieved a 98% coverage for immunisation and there is no school in the municipality that beats Adyel simply because of our good mobilisation strategy,†he added.
Ogwang said they have prepared a written response to the allegations that should have been presented in the council sitting today and tomorrow, but because of the death of Oyam County MP Dr. Okullo Epak, the sitting has been postponed to next week.
A civil society organisation, Agency for Sustainable Development recently also did an assessment of NUSAF project in Apac and reported a 98% failure rate of CDI projects, a report promptly dismissed by the district officials.
NUSAF is a US$133m programme funded with a loan from the World Bank. It was adopted in 2003 to empower communities in the north and eastern Uganda to enhance their capacity to systematically identify, prioritise and plan for their needs.
AFTER he vowed to arrest whoever was involved in the mismanagement of the Northern Uganda Social Action Fund (NUSAF) projects in Lira, the LC5 chairman, Franco Ojur and his vice, Tonny Ogwang Adwari, have been named among the top culprits.
A report by a sub-committee selected to probe the operations of the projects revealed that the two were directly presenting project files to NUSAF district technical officer for funding.
The report, read by Charles Ebange, the committee chairperson, cited six vulnerable group support projects which were directly presented by Ogwang to the NUSAF district technical officer (NDTO) for inclusion in the funding list.
The report also alleges that Ojur used his son Joseph Olwa, a student at Makerere University, to sign a contract of sh33m to construct a road in Abedober in Abako sub-county using Jofam Co. Ltd.
“These leaders were in the habit of directly presenting project files to NDTO for inclusion on the funding list, although the NUSAF operational manual stipulates that the projects be approved by the district technical planning committee,†the report says.
The district council recently set up a committee to investigate the public outcry that the NUSAF project was not benefiting the needy.
A two-month investigation discovered political influence and massive false and lack of accountability, including the incident by Ojur.
Lira has an allocation of sh15b for NUSAF. Out of this, sh8.8b had been used; sh0.9b and sh0.6b had remained for Amolatar and Dokolo districts. This means a total of sh3.7b remains unused.
The report also mentions Dr Joel Ongebo, the former technical officer for allegations of influence peddling. It cited the Apala Road construction project whose contract was awarded to Bob Okao, said to be a brother to Ongebo after he allegedly threatened to divert the project if the contract was not awarded to Rockstone Engineering works. Efforts to get in touch with Ongebo were futile.
The report noted conflicts among the country project management committees, procurement committees, contractors and implementing agencies.
It also noted that out of the 512 community development initiatives, vulnerable group supports and conflict resolution and conflict management projects, 155 were incomplete.
“For four years down the road NUSAF project implementation status is engulfed with shoddy and sub-standard works, especially for community development initiatives (CDI), construction and building works, citing Lira Primary School classroom rehabilitation and Amac Complex Laboratory rehabilitation,†the report reads.
The report also explained the lack of sub-county facilitators who were frustrated for none payment of sh10,000 per day of work as indicated on their appointment letters.
“Others resorted to generate projects only for those who could pay them or for their relatives or for their own communities,†the report reads in parts.
Ojur rubbished the report before the council chaired by the speaker Nelson Adea and described it as not authentic.
“Anything raised against me in this report is not authentic. The report contains false information. There is no truth in it,†Ojur hit back.
“The document is signed by only one person. I term it illegal. However, I need to consult and respond to it at a later date,†he explained.
Ojur said there are many challenges in NUSAF starting from its implementation stage in 2003.
He said he would bring Joseph Olwa, who the report alleges to be his son, before the council and they compare if they look alike.
Ojur, Adwari and others implicated in the report were given one month to respond to the allegation although the committee recommended that they should apologise.
Ogwang Adwari also dismissed the probe report as untrue and motivated by malice. “There was a malicious motive behind that report because I was never contacted to respond to the allegations,†Ogwang said by telephone.
“I have never done anything wrong or directed anybody to include any project for funding. The allegations were brought against me because of the successes of the project in my division because of the good mobilisation I did. Adyel division has always been the best in all programmes. We achieved a 98% coverage for immunisation and there is no school in the municipality that beats Adyel simply because of our good mobilisation strategy,†he added.
Ogwang said they have prepared a written response to the allegations that should have been presented in the council sitting today and tomorrow, but because of the death of Oyam County MP Dr. Okullo Epak, the sitting has been postponed to next week.
A civil society organisation, Agency for Sustainable Development recently also did an assessment of NUSAF project in Apac and reported a 98% failure rate of CDI projects, a report promptly dismissed by the district officials.
NUSAF is a US$133m programme funded with a loan from the World Bank. It was adopted in 2003 to empower communities in the north and eastern Uganda to enhance their capacity to systematically identify, prioritise and plan for their needs.