Sh300m for Soroti drugs lost
Jul 29, 2009
A total of sh319m meant for drugs for health centres in Soroti district has gone missing. In a report to parliament for the financial year 2007/8, the auditor general, John Muwanga, said sh319,720,600 remitted to sub-districts and lower health units to b
By Mary Karugaba
A total of sh319m meant for drugs for health centres in Soroti district has gone missing. In a report to parliament for the financial year 2007/8, the auditor general, John Muwanga, said sh319,720,600 remitted to sub-districts and lower health units to buy drugs was not accounted for.
Muwanga said the sh4,650,254,370 reported as closing cash balance lacked supporting documents such as bank statements, certificate of bank balance and reconciled cashbook for audit verification.
“I could, therefore, not confirm the correctness of the amount reported,†said Muwanga. Serere MP Capt. Emilly Otekat requested the Parliament’s local government committee to investigate the matter although the police had already arrested four district officials in connection with the mismanaged funds.
Investigations by area MPs indicated that the money was part of sh5.3b that was never accounted for during the same financial year, Otekat said.
Otekat added that the matter was brought to the attention of the resident district commissioner, Ben Etonu and Teso MPs, by the community health committee. The committee also asked for disciplinary action against the culprits.
“When we asked the district chief administrative officer (CAO) to explain, we discovered that the money had been misappropriated,†Otekat said. He said the Police had so far arrested the district sub-accountant in the health department, George Angois, deputy CAO, Donald Eswil, a Centenary Bank official, Betty Ogwang and another district staff, Edith Tino.
The chairperson, Abdu Katuntu, said the committee would also carry out its special audit into the misappropriation of funds in the district. He said the committee would also visit the affected health centres.
Otekat said Government reports indicated that Soroti ranks as the worst district in financial accountability. He said due to political wrangles, the district failed to pass its budget for the financial year 2009/10.
A total of sh319m meant for drugs for health centres in Soroti district has gone missing. In a report to parliament for the financial year 2007/8, the auditor general, John Muwanga, said sh319,720,600 remitted to sub-districts and lower health units to buy drugs was not accounted for.
Muwanga said the sh4,650,254,370 reported as closing cash balance lacked supporting documents such as bank statements, certificate of bank balance and reconciled cashbook for audit verification.
“I could, therefore, not confirm the correctness of the amount reported,†said Muwanga. Serere MP Capt. Emilly Otekat requested the Parliament’s local government committee to investigate the matter although the police had already arrested four district officials in connection with the mismanaged funds.
Investigations by area MPs indicated that the money was part of sh5.3b that was never accounted for during the same financial year, Otekat said.
Otekat added that the matter was brought to the attention of the resident district commissioner, Ben Etonu and Teso MPs, by the community health committee. The committee also asked for disciplinary action against the culprits.
“When we asked the district chief administrative officer (CAO) to explain, we discovered that the money had been misappropriated,†Otekat said. He said the Police had so far arrested the district sub-accountant in the health department, George Angois, deputy CAO, Donald Eswil, a Centenary Bank official, Betty Ogwang and another district staff, Edith Tino.
The chairperson, Abdu Katuntu, said the committee would also carry out its special audit into the misappropriation of funds in the district. He said the committee would also visit the affected health centres.
Otekat said Government reports indicated that Soroti ranks as the worst district in financial accountability. He said due to political wrangles, the district failed to pass its budget for the financial year 2009/10.