Two journalists were on Thursday, 10th March 2022 forced to leave a meeting from the district council hall which was called to handle pending payments of district councilors that led to the rejection of last week’s full council meeting on 3rd March 2022.
Gift Okello, a journalist who works with Luo FM was forced to leave the hall with embarrassment stated that the media deserved to attend the meeting since they were engaged from the start by the same councilors who proposed their eviction.
Many councilors including; John Bosco Odong for Lapul, Komakech Robert Obinna for Porogali, Okwir C Ray for Pader sub-county, and others voted that the media should be forced to leave the meeting which was attended by the district chairperson and his executives.
Okwir said that their communication should be in a systematic order that will call for the speaker’s press briefing on what transpired during the meeting. He added that certain issues are to be discussed in secrecy.
However, Welborn Ottober Odiya, Pader district speaker rejected the idea, by saying that he cannot express each of the councilor’s opinions since others were agreeing that the media should attend the meeting.
The meeting was typically called to address the issues of payments of seating allowances that have accrued to 67 million shillings since the 46 councilors assumed office in 2021.
Out of 46 councilors, 41 are members who should get seating allowances, but since assuming office, only two seating were cleared hence leaving 5 unpaid for. Each of the councilors is demanding 325,000 shillings per seating.
The business committee also alleged that they are yet to receive their stipend as seating allowances. In the committee, there are five members consisting of the different heads of departments who should be paid 80,000 shillings per seating for 4 sittings.
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