Pader district leaders have refuted claims that money meant to pay civil servants was put in a fixed account in the district.
The leaders were responding to a report published in a local daily which alleged that Sh1.8 million shillings meant for health workers welfare in the district had been put in a fixed account in an unnamed banks in Pader.
Pader Chief administrative officer, Andrew Leru, denied the claims stating that all money is controlled by bank of Uganda.
Leru said as a district they are not independent and work under the directives of the ministry of public service and the country’s chief finance officer, who is the general accountant.
According to Leru, their only job is to verify staff payroll for payment, before submitting it to ministry of public service for cross-checking who then forward it to bank of Uganda for payment.
The CAO emphasized that the district does not receive money in cash, except for operation money.
Trouble started for the leaders after newly recruited health staff complained that they had not been paid salary for 3 months.
The CAO confirmed the claims, saying the delays were due to bureaucracies involved in processing payments, adding that the health workers will be paid what is due to them this month.
Pader district LCV chairman appealed to the affected staff to remain calm and be patient as the district works on their payment for the past three months.
Pader recruited 83 health staffs three months ago to bridge the gap in health service delivery. Out of the 83, only 47 accepted the appointment and began work in October 2015.