BULIISA: NUSAF3 PROJECT FUNDS SWINDLED, BENEFICIARIES DEMAND FOR ACCOUNTABILITY

By Innocent Atuganyira

www.mknewslink.com

In Buliisa—

Following the misuse of Shs55M for the Northern Uganda Social Action Fund (NUSAF) III Project (Biiso Health Center IV Institutional Greening) in Biiso sub county Buliisa district, beneficiaries are demanding for the accountability.

The members who are demanding for the accountability are residents of Nyamasoga ‘A’ village Nyamasoga Parish in Biiso sub county Buliisa district.

Members explained that they didn’t elect their signatories in the bank nor the management but they were instead selected by Walter Kiiza the focal person at the sub county without their consent.

Ronald Ozele the area chairperson Nyamasoga ‘A’ village told our reporter that they agreed that each person would be paid shs5, 500 per day for the work, and deduct shs1, 500 for saving.

Ozele also explained that the money was supposed to be paid after every ten days whereas the saving would be paid at the end of the project.

Ozele also added that in the first ten days, they were paid according to the agreement, but in the following ten days they started giving them shs20, 000 which was contrary to the agreement. This made 50 people to reject signing for the money, but were forced to sign for shs40,000 and leave the project.

“A total of 37 people were told to sign for shs24,000 so as to continue, and own the project, surprisingly they only worked for ten days and were paid. Later, Kiiza told them to rest for one week,” Ozele explained.

The chairperson also noted that the 37 people who accepted to work were given leave for one week, Kiiza promised to call them back, but in vain until they found that unknown people had already taken over the project.

Stephen Oweka the project secretary explained that during the chaos about the payment, Kiiza threatened the community that the district was aware and had given orders to chase whoever wanted to know more about the project.

Oweka also added that the community elected their own project leaders but they were blacklisted, and not given chance to carry out their duties.

“We elected Agenrwoth Bronony as the group chairperson, Jenety Ochuna as the treasurer, and I the secretary but we were not considered, though the community considers us their leaders,” he asserted.

The angry project member further explained that after all these happenings, the community started looking for support from different offices with an involvement of the area chairperson Nyamasoga ‘A’ village, and they resolved that the focal person of NUSAF and his team should talk to the community about the issue.

“We gave them one week to ensure that they settle the matter, but they don’t either respond by letter or phone call. We are calling for government intervention into the matter because the project is meant to benefit the rightful people,” he noted.

Bronony Agenrwoth the group chairperson noted that the project commenced in June this year, and they were laid off in July this year.

Agenrwoth also explained that they engaged the LC3 chairperson Biiso sub county into matter who directed Kiiza to pay them, but he has given them a deaf ear.

According to the group chairperson, Kiiza told them that though they visit all offices in the district, they would not get help.

According to the accountability done by the people elected by the community, out of Shs55M of the project mostly on the money they have received in terms of their payment, 50 people worked for 20 days and each was paid shs4,000 totaling to shs4,000,000, and the 37 people who remained working were paid as shs4,000 each day for the 30 days totaling to shs4,440,000.

The initial amount of money received by the community as their payment out of the shs55M is shs8,440,000 only. According to the members, the project had 111 beneficiaries, but it was hard for the 24 members to check names in the register or come closer to the register by the community.

“These beneficiaries have come to my office more than five times seeking for help, when I contacted Kiiza, he told me that he is planning to pay them within 2-3 days, and since never heard from them again, I thought they were paid,” he asserted.

When contacted for the comment, Walter Kiiza the focal person at  Biiso sub county said they were summoned, and the state house anti-corruption unit is already on the ground investigating the matter thus he was not ready to give comment on the matter until then.

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