MPs order district to recover Shs55m from staff
Kayunga CAO James Nkata (R) shows MP Maxwell Akora (L) the documents that the committee asked him to present. PHOTO BY Fred Muzale
What you need to know:
Run aways. The district is faulted for paying workers who had left their work stations.
KAYUNGA. The Local Government Accounts Committee of Parliament has ordered the Kayunga District chief administrative officer (CAO), Mr James Nkata, to recover Shs55 million that was paid by the district to staff who had absconded from duty.
The committee that sat in Katikoomu Social Centre in Kayunga Town on Monday chaired by Mr Maxwell Akora, noted that the annual report of the Auditor General for the financial year ended June 30, 2014, had discovered that seven health staff and five teachers that had absconded from work continued to receive their salaries for a period of two years.
However, a tough–talking Akora said the district had since the discovery of the anomaly failed to heed to the Auditor General’s advice to recover the said funds from the concerned staff.
“Review of personal files for selected staff revealed that some members of staff abandoned their duty stations but were not deleted from the payroll. Accordingly, salaries amounting to Shs55,965,226 had been paid as of March 28, 2014,” Mr Akora said adding: “Can you show us evidence that you had written to the Ministry of Public Service to delete these staff members or made a pay change report? This shows lack of seriousness on your part.”
Impossible task
Mr Nkata, however, explained that they could not recover the said funds since some of the concerned staff had been transferred to other districts.
The committee proceedings were attended by civil servants, members of the district service commission, members of the district public accounts committee, politicians, members of the civil society organisations and religious leaders.
The committee also faulted the district for defying Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) guidelines when it initiated procurement worth Shs128m without evidence of authorisation by PPDA.
“Evaluation of bids not officially received and 20 cases reviewed worth Shs795m lacked complete contract management,” the committee said.
The paid staff
Ezra Muhindo 4,013,279
Geoffrey Kayizi 14,015,842
Betty Naikote 2,269,002
Dickson Magala 4,119,765
Dennis Lubowa 8,608,981
Joseph Kabanda 5,935,959
Sarah Nakazi 2,237,097
Peter Osaulo 3,011,013
Masitullah Nassozi 2,938,572
David Nandokha 2,938,572
Ronald Galiwango 2,938,572
Francis Okwerede 2,938,572
