Political leaders in Acholi Bur sub county have on Friday, 18th February closed the sub county assistant secretary’s (SAS) office over allegations of mismanaging funds meant for council planned activities amounting to over 20 million.
During a full council meeting held at the sub county headquarters, councilors were frustrated because there were no clear reports to be given to the council on the funds received by the sub county as releases under District Discretionary Development Equalization Grant (DDEG) Fund.
Richard Okot, chairperson finance, administration and planning committee says that the SAS and the sub county accountant did not produce reports for quarter I and II yet they informed the council that there is no more fund. He added that this prompted the political wing to ask for the documentation to back up the statements given, but to their dismay, they were denied access.
Okot added that the planned activities included; building of a temporary sub county headquarter and a latrine under the District DDEG) amounting to shillings 38 million for the entire financial year.
Johnson Okot, The Acholibur sub county chairperson III said that they closed the offices due to lack of transparency from the technical wing on how public funds are being used. He added that the technical department always produces verbal reports in regards to the funding received by the sub county which is not official.
Okot added that quarter II report was not availed to the political wing/ finance committee despite request made, but only to be told by the person taking care of SAS’s office that; there was no more data. He added that there is no transparency from the technical staff prompting them to write a letter requesting the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to transfer the SAS.
According to Okot, the political wing is being dodged on issues concerning releases to the sub county by the technical people since there is no tangible output seen as planned, but fund is no more.
Godwin Wokorach, district councilor V for Acholibur sub county says that the SAS is very rude and harsh to the political wing whenever asked about financial issues, and always don’t attend council meetings.
According to Wokorach, there are more problems at the sub county offices that needs to be investigated because there is no transparency when dealing with money. He added that there is poor coordination of work between the sub county chairperson and the technical people accompanied with no accountability of quarter I and II releases from July 2021 to December 2021.
However, Acholibur SAS, George Okot P’Adonga when asked about the issue, said that he is on sick leave for months, and any information needed, there is a delegated person; Grace Akot to handle it.
Meanwhile, The Principal Assistant Secretary in the CAO office, Joyce Ongee Anek says that the alleged scandal has not yet reached their office formally from the sub county leaders, but promised to carry out investigations into the matter immediately as directed by the CAO through the audit team.
Anek added that the accused persons must produce the quarter reports to account for the releases sent to their sub county majorly for quarter II.
Acholibur sub county shared 61million shillings with Acholi Bur town council, each getting 38million and 23million respectively, according to the number of the parishes contained in the financial year 2021/2022.
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