District executives of Pader are under the spotlight for swindling and tiptoeing of consignments of 154 piglets that were brought to benefit the locals under the operation wealth creation in the night.
Pader district was informed by the Operation Wealth Creation office about the consignments of piglets totalling 182, but only 154 were brought and one died on the way while transporting. However, it was reported that these piglets diverged and district executives allocated it to themselves and district leaders including Robert Owot, a renowned investigative journalist. Auma Pamela Peace, a resident of Kirombe in Lira city was among the beneficiaries listed to get the consignments but, after investigation, she said she does not know about the project. She added that no one contacted her, but her number was registered in the names of Okema Vincent under Laguti sub-county. Another fake registered beneficiary was under the names of Bed Agonya Group in Latanya sub-county, of which in real identity, she is called Rose Wassagali, a resident of Masaka district and not Latanya sub-county. Santo Odora, local council one chairperson of Agum wigweng, Pukor parish, Pukor sub-county in Pader district says that he didn’t hear about the consignments from the OWC. He adds that he is very frustrated and those people who received the pigs must be brought to book to refund the pigs received. “Leaders are elected to work for the locals, but in Pader, they work for themselves which is very disappointing,” Odora adds. Ballex Okello, councillor V for Paiula sub-county in Pader district says that the distribution of the pigs was not right and the district executives changed the names that were provided by the production officer. According to Ballex, he doubts if all the pigs have reached the final beneficiaries since the district chairperson took the remaining pigs claiming that he has got groups yet they are ghosts' groups. He added that the district chairperson took over 82 pigs with him. Komakech Kilama Okumu, Pader town council councillor V says that there was a meeting held three times by the district executives on plans to embezzle the pigs. He adds that after the meeting, there were lists of names brought up by the district executives yet it’s not recommended and unlawful for the district executives to raise names. According to Kilama, there is a focal person for OWC that should have handled the project, and he further suggested that these pigs must have been given to all those sub-counties within the district being new or old without discrimination. “Some groups were forged by the district executives that are not in existence following the preliminary investigations done,” he added. Kilama further warned that Pader district is heading to doom if not checked on well and the problems resolved before late. Meanwhile, Wellborn Ottober, Pader district speaker says that the 154 (pigs) consignments were received on Wednesday, 8th of September 2021 from the OWC’s office to benefit the locals. He adds that to his dismay these pigs were given to some few individuals who were either relatives to the district executives or fake in reality. Wellborn adds that from 23 sub-counties that were supposed to benefit from the project, only 12 of the mother sub-counties were alleged to have been named in the lists leaving out the new sub-counties with the exceptional of Tenam S/C who got one, Ajan with one and Pukor sub-county, where the district chairperson hails getting two. He said that there were 8 sub-counties that were left out from the list and these include; Puila, Porogali, Lunyiri, Bongtiko, Puranga town council, Pajule town council and Acholibur town council. Over 80 pigs were unallocated for and taken by the district executives. According to Wellborn, it’s such a shame to the district executives following the segregative distribution and swindling of the pigs given under the operation wealth creation project that is meant to benefit the locals. He further warned that the evilest acts among the district executives must be stopped as these tarnish the image of the district leadership. However, several attempts when futile to contact the OWC focal person to have his comment on the tragedy about the distribution that has to turn wild and corrupt. But, according to reports from the district speaker, Maj. Okumu (focal person of OWC) says that the district executives have pressured him and had nothing to do. Fearless Obwoya Oyat, Pader district chairperson rubbishes the allegations that the contacts in the lists were fake and said that there was typing error that resulted in the alleged fake phone numbers. He added that the allegation that he took away over 80 pigs is not true because he didn’t touch and handled the issue of distribution but only intervened to sort out misunderstandings in the production boardroom where there were two lists of names from different people. He added that all the consignments had been distributed to the right beneficiaries, if not then it’s still on the way coming because other consignments were left of about 27. Fearless further said that the distribution went on well, though it didn’t go well with other leaders as their sub-counties missed it. He added that currently, OWC operates only with the mother sub-counties and town councils. According to Fearless, all the consignments that come under OWC aren't enough for all the people, and he urges people to be patient since there is a scarcity of pigs and any other relevant consignments.
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