Kabarole officials quizzed over sh14b
Apr 15, 2008
MPs have threatened to terminate the services of the accounting officers for Kabarole district if they fail to account for over sh14b.
By Paul Kiwuuwa
MPs have threatened to terminate the services of the accounting officers for Kabarole district if they fail to account for over sh14b.
The local government accounts committee gave the chief administrative officer (CAO), Solomon Kalibwani, and the chief finance officer, Robert Nkojo, one week to account for the money.
Beatrice Rwakimari (NRM) said: “MPs are disappointed with accounting officers in over 70 districts. They misappropriate most of the money and people blame the Government. It is high time the public service ministry recruited competent and financially trained manpower.â€
Nkojo and Kalibwani had appeared before the committee on Friday to answer queries raised in the Auditor General’s report for the financial years 2001 to 2005.
The report pointed out that sh788m was unrecovered advances, sh1.2b was excess expenditure and sh110m for the universal primary education grants was not remitted to schools.
Charles Ekemu (FDC) said: “There is persistent breaking of the financial regulations and procedure laid down in the Local Government and Public
Finance and Disposal of Public Assets Acts.†The MPs queried sh34m the district paid to Muka Drilling Services to drill four boreholes in Burahya county in 2004 before the work was done.
Ashraf Olega (NRM) said: “The boreholes were not constructed.
The CAO must recover the money.†The committee was shocked to learn that the construction of a sh4.5m maternity ward was inflated to sh40m by the accounting officers.
David Ringe Chan (UPC) said sh35m must be recovered from Reno Enterprises that built the ward at Kichwamba Health Centre.
“Let the funds be deducted from the CAO’s salary,â€
But Kalibwani pleaded that he assumed office five months ago. “The former CAO should account for the money. I am just five-months-old in the district,†Kalibwani said.
The committee decided to summon the former CAO to account for funds. “When you assume office, you inherit the assets and liabilities of the office, especially the recovery of personal advances,†noted Emma Boona (NRM).
MPs have threatened to terminate the services of the accounting officers for Kabarole district if they fail to account for over sh14b.
The local government accounts committee gave the chief administrative officer (CAO), Solomon Kalibwani, and the chief finance officer, Robert Nkojo, one week to account for the money.
Beatrice Rwakimari (NRM) said: “MPs are disappointed with accounting officers in over 70 districts. They misappropriate most of the money and people blame the Government. It is high time the public service ministry recruited competent and financially trained manpower.â€
Nkojo and Kalibwani had appeared before the committee on Friday to answer queries raised in the Auditor General’s report for the financial years 2001 to 2005.
The report pointed out that sh788m was unrecovered advances, sh1.2b was excess expenditure and sh110m for the universal primary education grants was not remitted to schools.
Charles Ekemu (FDC) said: “There is persistent breaking of the financial regulations and procedure laid down in the Local Government and Public
Finance and Disposal of Public Assets Acts.†The MPs queried sh34m the district paid to Muka Drilling Services to drill four boreholes in Burahya county in 2004 before the work was done.
Ashraf Olega (NRM) said: “The boreholes were not constructed.
The CAO must recover the money.†The committee was shocked to learn that the construction of a sh4.5m maternity ward was inflated to sh40m by the accounting officers.
David Ringe Chan (UPC) said sh35m must be recovered from Reno Enterprises that built the ward at Kichwamba Health Centre.
“Let the funds be deducted from the CAO’s salary,â€
But Kalibwani pleaded that he assumed office five months ago. “The former CAO should account for the money. I am just five-months-old in the district,†Kalibwani said.
The committee decided to summon the former CAO to account for funds. “When you assume office, you inherit the assets and liabilities of the office, especially the recovery of personal advances,†noted Emma Boona (NRM).