MPs pass sh2 trillion to run ministries
Jun 28, 2009
PARLIAMENT has passed a sh2.2 trillion vote-on-account request, money that will be used to run ministries and other state institutions before the 2009/10 budget is passed.<br>
By Cyprian Musoke, Henry Mukasa and Simon Longoli
PARLIAMENT has passed a sh2.2 trillion vote-on-account request, money that will be used to run ministries and other state institutions before the 2009/10 budget is passed.
The money, requested for by the finance general duties state minister, Jachan Omach, initially met resistance from shadow minister Oduman Okello, who disputed the figure.
He argued that according to the Public Finance Act, such money is supposed to be a quarter of the entire budget.
The vote-on-account, he reasoned, was therefore not supposed to exceed sh77b.
He also asked the minister to provide names of those who are to handle the money, another requirement by the law.
Omach said the Secretary to the Treasury, Chris Kassami, had appointed the officers.
This was contested by MPs Nathan Byanyima (NRM), Ben Wacha (Independent) and Alice Alaso (FDC) for lack of documentary evidence.
They complained that there was delay in disbursing the money to the respective departments because the ministry took its time to appoint accounting officers.
In the request, the Office of the President got sh22b, State House sh26b and the Office of the Prime Minister sh48b.
The defence ministry got sh154b, public service, sh13b, agriculture, sh40b, local government, sh43b, education, sh118b, health, sh123b, works and transport, sh46b, energy, sh281b, the Electoral Commission, sh131m, and Inspector General of Government, sh708m.
Ethics and integrity got sh1b, Uganda Cancer Institute, sh1b, Uganda Heart Institute, sh538m, Makerere University, sh20b, the External Security Organisation, sh3b, Mulago Hospital, sh12b, NAADS, sh5b and the Police, sh60b.
Other hospitals received a total of sh16b, missions abroad sh15b, while districts got a total of sh446b.
PARLIAMENT has passed a sh2.2 trillion vote-on-account request, money that will be used to run ministries and other state institutions before the 2009/10 budget is passed.
The money, requested for by the finance general duties state minister, Jachan Omach, initially met resistance from shadow minister Oduman Okello, who disputed the figure.
He argued that according to the Public Finance Act, such money is supposed to be a quarter of the entire budget.
The vote-on-account, he reasoned, was therefore not supposed to exceed sh77b.
He also asked the minister to provide names of those who are to handle the money, another requirement by the law.
Omach said the Secretary to the Treasury, Chris Kassami, had appointed the officers.
This was contested by MPs Nathan Byanyima (NRM), Ben Wacha (Independent) and Alice Alaso (FDC) for lack of documentary evidence.
They complained that there was delay in disbursing the money to the respective departments because the ministry took its time to appoint accounting officers.
In the request, the Office of the President got sh22b, State House sh26b and the Office of the Prime Minister sh48b.
The defence ministry got sh154b, public service, sh13b, agriculture, sh40b, local government, sh43b, education, sh118b, health, sh123b, works and transport, sh46b, energy, sh281b, the Electoral Commission, sh131m, and Inspector General of Government, sh708m.
Ethics and integrity got sh1b, Uganda Cancer Institute, sh1b, Uganda Heart Institute, sh538m, Makerere University, sh20b, the External Security Organisation, sh3b, Mulago Hospital, sh12b, NAADS, sh5b and the Police, sh60b.
Other hospitals received a total of sh16b, missions abroad sh15b, while districts got a total of sh446b.