Local governments given 10 days to account for donor cash

Government through the Ministery of Finance, Planning and Economic Development has given all local government accounting officers a ten-day ultimatum to file accountabilities for donor funds or risk losing their jobs.

The decision has been reached during a meeting between local government accounting officers and district health officers that sat today.

Ben Kumumanya, the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Local Government has resolved to give the accounting officers until June 2, 2023, to specifically account for Shs25 billion in donor cash.

This is after it was discovered that about 55 local government entities failed to recruit District Health Officers (DHOs).

Kumumanya says the decision is prompted by the untimely submission of accountabilities for donor funds from, GAVI, Global Fund, UNICEF, World Health Organisation, and World Bank in relation to the Covid fight.

Dr. Charles Ayume, the chairperson of the Parliamentary Health Committee has in a tweet clarified that the failure to recruit DHOs, the technical heads of health services at district level means the money goes back to the consolidated fund yet it was available for wages.

The development comes amid endless prayers from health officers including pre-medical interns for deployment and better wages.

Written by Juliet Nalwooga