Citizens abetting corruption, says World Bank official
Nov 18, 2008
CORRUPTION is persistent in Uganda due to the failure by citizens to demand accountability and good governance, a World Bank official said yesterday.
By Henry Mukasa
CORRUPTION is persistent in Uganda due to the failure by citizens to demand accountability and good governance, a World Bank official said yesterday.
Sanjay Vani, the lead financial management specialist for country services at the World Bank, made the remarks while presenting a paper titled “The landscape of public financial management reforms,†at a workshop at Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala yesterday.
The workshop was meant to prepare government officials for the national public financial management performance review 2008 that is underway.
Chairpersons of Parliament oversight committees; Nathan Nandala (public accounts), Kaddunabbi Lubega (national economy) and William Oketcho (budget) attended.
Sanjay said the first step to demanding accountability by the citizenry is through electing suitable MPs. “Parliament plays a critical role to ensure good governance, otherwise reforms will not be sustainable,†he said.
Sanjay warned that politicians only embrace reforms when they are not a threat to their interests. He asked the finance ministry to role out accountability reforms to other ministries.
Parminder Brar, the co-chair of the public financial management donor group, said Uganda had improved its public expenditure and accountability processes compared to her rating four years ago. He, however, expressed concern about poor service delivery in the health sector.
“Absenteeism is a main problem in health service delivery. Forty percent of medical staff are absent. Over 50% nurses receive salaries but are absent. There is a problem of getting drugs in health centres. Essential drugs are consistently out of stock in Uganda,†he said.
Francis Runumi, the Ministry of Health commissioner for planning, said focus had been put on getting ‘value-for-money’ yet ‘money-for-value’ was equally important.
“In the past, there were threats and strikes. But now, people walk away quietly because we cannot pay them well,†he said.
John Mitala, the head of Public Service, called for fair criticism of the Government in light of the strides it has made to improve service delivery.
“We are not where we want to be but thank God we are not where we have been,†he said.
Responding to the proposal to involve the public in accountability processes, Mitala, who is also the secretary to the Cabinet, said it was irrational.
“There is not way you are going to involve 20 million people. That is why we have leaders and the question should be whether they (leaders) are committed,†he stressed.
Asaba Ahebwa, the director of ethics in the Office of the President, said reforms need to go hand-in-hand with ethical conduct.
“Without the integrity of officers, the citizens cannot monitor the Government expenditure. The local people do not know how vouchers and bills of quantity look like. It is a mockery,†he said.
Fred Omach, the finance state minister, said the Government supports an independent Auditor General and would strengthen laws on accounting and procurement.
CORRUPTION is persistent in Uganda due to the failure by citizens to demand accountability and good governance, a World Bank official said yesterday.
Sanjay Vani, the lead financial management specialist for country services at the World Bank, made the remarks while presenting a paper titled “The landscape of public financial management reforms,†at a workshop at Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala yesterday.
The workshop was meant to prepare government officials for the national public financial management performance review 2008 that is underway.
Chairpersons of Parliament oversight committees; Nathan Nandala (public accounts), Kaddunabbi Lubega (national economy) and William Oketcho (budget) attended.
Sanjay said the first step to demanding accountability by the citizenry is through electing suitable MPs. “Parliament plays a critical role to ensure good governance, otherwise reforms will not be sustainable,†he said.
Sanjay warned that politicians only embrace reforms when they are not a threat to their interests. He asked the finance ministry to role out accountability reforms to other ministries.
Parminder Brar, the co-chair of the public financial management donor group, said Uganda had improved its public expenditure and accountability processes compared to her rating four years ago. He, however, expressed concern about poor service delivery in the health sector.
“Absenteeism is a main problem in health service delivery. Forty percent of medical staff are absent. Over 50% nurses receive salaries but are absent. There is a problem of getting drugs in health centres. Essential drugs are consistently out of stock in Uganda,†he said.
Francis Runumi, the Ministry of Health commissioner for planning, said focus had been put on getting ‘value-for-money’ yet ‘money-for-value’ was equally important.
“In the past, there were threats and strikes. But now, people walk away quietly because we cannot pay them well,†he said.
John Mitala, the head of Public Service, called for fair criticism of the Government in light of the strides it has made to improve service delivery.
“We are not where we want to be but thank God we are not where we have been,†he said.
Responding to the proposal to involve the public in accountability processes, Mitala, who is also the secretary to the Cabinet, said it was irrational.
“There is not way you are going to involve 20 million people. That is why we have leaders and the question should be whether they (leaders) are committed,†he stressed.
Asaba Ahebwa, the director of ethics in the Office of the President, said reforms need to go hand-in-hand with ethical conduct.
“Without the integrity of officers, the citizens cannot monitor the Government expenditure. The local people do not know how vouchers and bills of quantity look like. It is a mockery,†he said.
Fred Omach, the finance state minister, said the Government supports an independent Auditor General and would strengthen laws on accounting and procurement.