Gulu District leaders have tasked the Chief Administrative Officer Dorothy Ajwang to explain circumstance under which Shs 270 million meant for facilitating Indoor Residual Spray [IRS] was withdrawn from the district’s account without the knowledge of the district Executive and Council.
The leaders allege the money was wired to Gulu district Local government General account at Orient Bank Gulu Branch by the United States Agency for International Development [USAID] early December.
Acholi Times understands that the money in question along with another Shs 102 million was withdrawn between December 6 and December 7 this year to settle a law suit Gulu lost.
In 2012 Justice Remmy Kasule awarded 89 former parish chiefs Shs 2 billion in compensation for unfair dismissal from the Gulu local government. Since 2002, the money has since risen to Shs 4.2 billion.
Gulu appealed against the ruling but lost with costs.
“We were surprised recently when Orient Bank notified us [district] that they got an order from court of appeal to release Shs 372 million from the district’s account. As we pondered on who could have attended the taxation hearing [after Gulu lost the appeals case], we realized the money already been withdrawn,” Mr Mapenduzi told Acholi Times last week.
Mapenduzi said he has since found out that Ms Ajwang, the Chief Administrative Officer(CAO) had long received the taxation hearing in March this year but did not notify the district Executive and Council.
“I am demanding that Ms Ajwang explains why she never informed the district she received the notice of taxation hearing. Her actions amount to financial loss to the government, at the moment IRS programme has stalled in the two districts [Gulu and newly created Omoro] and we are worried about the escalading malaria prevalence,” Mr Mapenduzi said.
The Resident District Commissioner who is also the Chairperson Malaria focal point said the withdrawal of money meant to facilitate IRS will cripple their activities and consequently lead to rise in malaria cases.
“We have had so many cases of malaria that also claimed lives, we demand that Ms Ajwang explains properly how she got notice of taxation hearing and kept quiet over it, we are supposed to kick start IRS but now we are stuck because money meant for the programme is no more,” Capt Lapolo said.
Gulu District early this year experienced an upsurge in malaria that led to 162 death cases of death among infants and expectant mothers.
Ms Ajwang when contacted acknowledged receiving the notice of taxation hearing in March this year but noted that when she went to attend court, the hearing never took place.
“Since March up to now [December] I wasn’t informed of anything that was going on, I’m equally surprised to learn that the account was frozen and money was withdrawn before we could do anything,” Ms Ajwang said.
Ms Ajwang said allegations being made against her is baseless and has threatened to sue Mr Mapenduzi for allegedly saying she was involved in the withdrawal of the cash.
