Prime
Arrest all thieves before PDM goes to the dogs
What you need to know:
The issue:
PDM cash.
Our view:
The fact that other poverty reduction strategies nosedived, should not be a justification for looking on as PDM joins a long list of failed initiatives.
The rate at which districts abuse development funds under a multi-billion government flagship programme – Parish Development Model (PDM) is alarming. This newspaper continues to receive distressing stories from different districts, detailing how government officials connive to misuse PDM funds. Some have been arrested and ordered to refund the stolen money and others are on the run as cases continue to rise.
On August 24, this paper reported that more than a dozen officials in Kitgum District were arrested over allegations of misappropriating Shs526m PDM cash. The money was part of the Shs745m government disbursed to the district for PDM projects.
The misuse of funds in Kitgum, Ngora, Kabale, Kaabong, Apac and other cases, highlight the PDM tragedy and offers deeper insights into the dangers of corruption, a chronic disease in public and private offices that has caused emotional distress to millions in the country, particularly, the hand-to-mouth citizens that have for years remained trapped in abject poverty.
At the inception of PDM, a key strategy that targets about 39 percent (3.5 million households) in subsistence farming, the President hoped to rely on 10,594 parishes to drive socio-economic transformation as the country yearns for middle-income status.
The PDM idea positions the parish as the epicentre of wealth creation, multi-sectoral community development, planning, implementation, supervision and accountability. This was before thieving officials hijacked the model, infiltrated the system and created “eating centres” in the districts.
Investigating agencies should also find out why a total of 3,914 Saccos missed Shs17m and what exactly happened to the revolving funds for the parishes/ wards. In the Financial Year 2021/22, Shs139.38b out of Shs234.3b was appropriated by Parliament for PDM, including supplementary funding. This was later increased to Shs1.142 trillion in FY 2022/23.
The fact that other poverty reduction strategies nosedived, should not be a justification for looking on as PDM joins a long list of failed initiatives. Urgent and bold solutions are needed to salve PDM. It is not yet too late, the President can still work with the Inspectorate of Government (IGG), Office of the Auditor General, police and Parliament to salvage PDM before it goes the dogs.
Our view is that the IGG should as a matter of urgency speed up investigations and arrests as the Office of the Auditor General conducts a value for money or forensic audit into the expenditure of Shs17m given to parishes last financial year.
Release of new PDM funds must be halted until further notice. All parishes must be ordered to provide accountability of the Shs25m they received under Quarter 1 of the current financial year. All new PDM cash releases must be based on satisfactory accountability of the previous funds.
