Ngora district officials have fled their offices following Police investigations over the alleged mismanagement of the Parish Development Model- PDM funds.
According to the Ngora Resident District Commissioner- John Stephen Ekoom, the officers fled their offices last week on Thursday after information leaked from PDM Secretariat about their impending arrests.
Those reported to be on run are the Chief Administrative Officer- CAO Lawrence Madada, the Chief Finance Officer, Charles Elungat, the PDM Focal Point Person, Mackay Otai and the District Planner, Pricilla Asio, among others.
Ekoom said that he received a directive from the PDM Secretariat to take immediate action on the alleged misuse of and abuse of PDM funds.
The Parish Development Model launched in 2021 is a strategy geared towards good service delivery by the Government of Uganda to improve incomes and welfare of Ugandans at the household level.
It is an extension of the whole-of-government approach to development envisaged under NDPIII, with the Parish as the lowest administrative and operational hub for delivering services closer to the people and hence foster local economic development.
Mike Odongo L’Asio, the Ngora District Chairperson says they are following up the matter to ensure that the program delivers results in the district. He said that more than UGX. 200 million has reportedly been mismanaged.
Odongo adds that the district has directed the Internal Auditor to conduct an audit that will guide the district leadership on the next course of action. He noted that the officers boycotted a planned meeting expected to address the issues raised by the PDM Secretariat.
Our reporter didn’t find any of the suspected officers at the district headquarters on Friday. But when contacted, the Ngora Chief Administrative Officer, Lawrence Madada, said that he had traveled to Kumi district to attend to urgent work.
“I was in the office on Thursday together with the RDC but didn’t receive any communication or complaint regarding PDM mismanagement. We don’t have any issues on the management of PDM but if you think I am on run, come to my office on Monday,” he said on phone.
Kitgum and Kabale districts officials have recently been in trouble for allegedly mismanaging PDM.
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