Namisindwa district leaders have resolved to use the Shs500M which was going to be returned to the Consolidated Fund for FY2023/4 to clear salary arrears for extension workers.
This was revealed by Jackson Wakwaika, the Namisindwa LCV Chairperson while speaking to hundreds of locals on Friday, 14th June, 2024 at MagaleTtown Council during the IGG Baraza meeting.
Last month, during the district budget approval, Alex Molokoi, the Education Committee Chairperson doubling as councilor representing Bukiabi Sub County raised a concern about Shs1B that was going to be returned to the Consolidated Fund after the district failed to recruit teachers to replace those who have died or retired.
Wakwaika revealed that the actual figure of the money is Shs500M and not Shs1B as claimed by Molokoi.
He added that the district executive sat last week and wrote to chief administrative officer asking him to use that money to pay extension workers salary arrears.
He says that some extension workers from different Sub counties have spent over eight months without earning salaries.
He says that rather than returning the money to the Consolidated Fund, they decided to pay extension workers before the end of the 2023/4 Financial Year, which was Friday, 14th June.
Dinah Nabirye, the IGG Manager, Tororo area covering the six districts of Tororo, Namisindwa, Bududa, Manafwa, Busia and Butaleja sayid that some civil servants in the district had reported to her office about delayed payment.
She supported the district’s decision saying it is better than returning the money.
Nabirye also said they discovered that there is a big gap between political and technical leaders at both district and sub county levels during the Baraza meeting.
She says that poor relationship between the two sides has affected service delivery to tax payers.
Imran Muluga, the Namisindwa Resident District Commissioner (RDC) instructed all sub county leaders starting from next financial year 2024/25 to inform his office before launching or commissioning any government project in their areas of jurisdiction.
He says that most shoddy and substantial works are being done and launched at sub counties making his office to have lots of unanswered questions on quality of works.