The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Gulu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Gulu district local government has opened investigations into projects under the Northern Uganda Social Action Fund (NUSAF III).
The NUSAF intervention is aimed at fighting poverty using a combination of four factors of building the infrastructures, income-generating activities, conflict management and institutional development.
From 2016 to June 2021, Gulu district has received 9.6 Billion Shillings for a total of 343 different projects. However, some of the projects which received funding have stalled, raising concerns from district leaders.
Some of the projects include the construction of a community access road of 58 million Shillings from Rwot Obilo health centre III to Atiaba village, and the Institutional greening at Zion Nursery and Primary School worth 22.1 million.
Recently, the District Executive Committee summoned the technical staff over reports of alleged mismanagement of the funds and shoddy work.
For instance, at Zion Nursery and Primary school, the funds meant for the Institutional greening were diverted to the fencing of the school, tree planting with a smaller portion of the compound beautified with flowers.
The district chairman Christopher Opiyo Ateker had instructed the internal auditor and chief finance officer to produce the audit report of the different projects, a matter that was protested by the technocrats.
But the community development officer Goretti Okech who doubles as the Nusaf focal point person says the new projects achieved their intended objectives and that there is no need for the investigations.
Peter Okot, the chairperson of Zion Nursery and Primary School Institutional greening project say that the diversion of the project followed pressure from the technocrats.
Samuel Opige, the secretary of the group says that the diversion had affected the allowances of the group members. He explains that each of the 68 members was to get 82,000 shillings paid at the end of the project but only ended up with 56,000 shillings.
Balington Ongwec P’ Olweny, the Gulu District Secretary of Community Services has blamed the incident on lack of coordination between the technocrats and the elected leaders.
Justus Twongyeirwe, the Officer-in-charge of the Criminal Investigation Department at Gulu Central Police Station says that the police have opened up a general inquiry file to investigate the alleged mismanagement of the funds.
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