Top Masaka municipal officials were Tuesday grilled by the Local Government Accounts Committee for alleged failure to account for millions of Shillings. These had appeared before the Local Government Accounts Committee chaired by the Aswa County, Reagan Okumu to defend themselves on audit queries in the 2015/2016 Auditor General's report.
The officials include Innocent Ahimbisibwe, the Masaka town clerk, Augustus Turibarungi, the Principal Engineer Masaka Municipality, Goreth Namugga, Procurement officer and the Municipal Community Development Officer, Wilson Kizza.
In his report, the Auditor General accuses the municipality of failing to account for Shillings 83 million allegedly paid to pensioners. According to the report, although the municipality claims to have paid the money to pensioners, there is no evidence to that effect.
The report also notes that much as regulation 10 sub section of the Local Government Financial and Accounting regulation 2007 requires that the Accounting officer to authorize all payments in their administrative units and ensure there is proper accountability, there is no proof of expenditure for Shillings 79million under the Uganda Support for Municipality Infrastructural Development.
The report also queries the poor recovery of money disbursed to youths under Youths Livelihood program. Only Shillings 8 million out of the Shillings 103million disbursed has been recovered. The audit general also queries the low absorption of capacity building funds. The Auditor General notes that Masaka municipality failed to utilize Shillings 145 million out of the Shillings 446 million disbursed for capacity building in the period under review.
During the interface, PAC tasked the officials to explain the amount of money they received from Uganda Road Fund as well as the money the municipality collects in local revenue. Innocent Ahimbisibwe, the Masaka Town Clerk told the committee that they only collected Shillings 1.3billion out of the projected Shillings 2.5billion.
The PAC Chairperson, Reagan Okumu demanded that Ahimbisibwe tables the municipal budget showing how much they expected to collect. Ahimbisibwe said he needed to cross check with the municipal treasurer who is away on sick leave. He however, turned around, saying they had collected Shillings 2.5 billion, a claim the committee dismissed as speculation and guess work.
