Prime
Ministry orders sacking of senior Abim official over fraud
The Ministry of Local Government permanent secretary Benjamin Kumumanya
What you need to know:
- In July, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) suspended funding to the local government over failure to account for Shs2 billion meant for health, education and other community services.
- The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has also asked the district to account for Shs36 million meant to support family planning, immunisation outreaches and other health programmes.
Abim. The Ministry of Local Government has ordered the immediate suspension of the Abim District Chief Finance Officer (CFO), Mr Germinate Oryomo, over alleged abuse of office.
Mr Benjamin Kumumanya, the ministry permanent secretary, in a letter to the Abim Chief Administrative Officer, Mr Emmanuel Ofono, accuses Mr Oryomo of grossly mismanaging Shs100.2 million meant for service delivery.
This, Mr Kumumanya noted, was unearthed during an investigation by ministry officials following complaints of misappropriation of funds in the district.
“The accounting officer and the chief finance officer diverted a total of Shs100.2m meant for various activities to pay court cases, contrary to Regulation 24 of the LGFAR 2007. They also diverted to other activities the money meant for the local government Public Accounts Committee, which never met,” the letter read in part.
“In accordance with section F-s (8) of the Uganda Public Service Standing Orders 2010, you are hereby directed to interdict the chief finance officer with immediate effect to pave way for investigations into the matter,” it added.
Mr Oryomo on Tuesday was not available for a comment because his known telephone was inaccessible by press time.
Mr Ofono acknowledged receipt of the letter and said he would first study before taking action.
“I picked the letter on Tuesday from the permanent secretary but please, why don’t you leave that story until we take action?” he said.
The district administration has in the past been in the storm over diversion of funds from development partners.
In July, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) suspended funding to the local government over failure to account for Shs2 billion meant for health, education and other community services.
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has also asked the district to account for Shs36 million meant to support family planning, immunisation outreaches and other health programmes.
