NAKASONGOLA — Legislators on a House committee have accused Nakasongola District leaders of collaborating with officials from the finance ministry to inflate budgets, leading to the return of funds to the Consolidated Fund.
During a session of the Public Accounts Committee-Local Government, district leaders were questioned about the Auditor General’s report for the Financial Year 2021/2022, which revealed that out of the budget of UGX 20 billion, UGX 114 million was returned to the Consolidated Fund.
Shadow Minister of Local Government, Betty Naluyima, raised concerns about the returned funds, questioning why some local governments were returning money while others were struggling with budget deficits.
Nakasongola’s Principal Accountant, Edith Kirega, explained that the returned UGX 114 million was due to excess funds. She cited an instance where the district requested UGX 49 million for the first quarter, but the finance ministry released UGX 89.4 million instead.
Kirega stated that the excess funds were discovered only at the end of the financial year and that no inquiry was made at the time of receiving the funds.
Legislator Noah Mutebi questioned whether an inquiry was sent regarding the excess funds and why the district did not disclose that they had received more funds than requested.
Ibanda Rwemulikya expressed skepticism about the explanation, suggesting that the district leaders intentionally kept quiet about the excess funds and implying misuse of the money.
Patrick Isingoma placed blame on the finance ministry, asserting that the responsibility for accurate fund releases lies with the ministry. He called for evidence that the returned money was indeed sent back to the Consolidated Fund.
Committee chairperson Gilbert Olanya emphasized that if there is collusion in inflating budgets, the issue originates from the finance ministry. He also noted that local governments should inquire about excess funds directly from the finance ministry to avoid such situations. The matter will be presented before the finance ministry for further clarification and action. Would you like to get published on this Website? You can now email Uganda Times: an Opinion, any breaking news, Exposes, story ideas, human interest, articles, or any interesting videos: news@ugandatimes.ug. Or join the Ugandatimes WhatsApp Group or Telegram Channel for the latest updates
