Drama as Mbarara DHO, accountant survive arrest over Shs13m query

Drama as Mbarara DHO, accountant survive arrest over Shs13m query

By Amos Kakungulu
Mbarara – There was drama at Mbarara district headquarters Kamukuzi as the District Public Accounts Committee, and the Chief Administrative Officer had disagreements on the fate of the two district health department officers.
Following the earlier decision taken by the DPAC, the District Health Officer Dr. Peter Ssebutinde and his subordinate, the accountant for the same department who is also the wife to Frederick Rugara, the District Deputy CAO  were nearly facing arrest after unclear answers required by committee on  query of Shs13m that was not accounted for.
According to the audit report that was laid before DPAC, it was discovered that the Shs13m was requisitioned by the head of department, the DHO and later released or paid but there was no any document like a receipt attached on to acknowledge the transactions or payments of the Shs13m that was paid to Mbarara General Referral Hospital.
During the two days, District Public Accounts Committee meeting that was held at Kamukuzi district headquarters, Dr. Ssebutinde who is the head of the Health Department was brought before the committee to answer queries.
He was grilled by the committee who openly said that his role was basically about requisitioning of the money but it was not his role to make a follow-up of the receipts because he is not the one who released the money, that it was  the responsibility of his accountant to pick receipts from the receiver.
He explained that  the rest of the process like payments was all done by his accountant.
After the explanation from Dr. Ssebutinde, Herbert Kamugisha, the Chairman of the Mbarara district Public Accounts Committee directed for the arrest of the Health Department accountant who was not appearing before the committee.
That the accountant is the right person responsible to answer the query why it took her one year without accounting for this money. He directed that the accountant should be taken to police and make a statement.
The directive from Kamugisha created bitter arguments in the house something that prompted the District CAO Edward Kasagara to intervene challenging the decision by to committee to arrest the accountant that it is wrong.
Kasagara’s argument was equally defending the accountant’s fate instead accusing the DHO that he must held responsible for the query because he is the one who requisitions for any money put in his department, he asked the committee to decide against the DHO not his subordinate, the accountant.
At this point, the two bosses (the CAO and chairman PAC) couldn’t give each other breathing space.
Tension developed between the two as the Chairman PAC told the CAO to go slow and focus on his roles because the committee is also coming for his.
He told him that some officers including him (the CAO) have failed to do their work as civil servants. Kamugisha said that heads of department are not mandated to do payments, that in this case accountants of departments are held response for any queries within the department.
“Mr. CAO I don’t want you to talk as a layman, I want to tell you that in this case you have also failed to do your work, why do you defend people who are wrong? As far as I know every department here has the accountant who is responsible for finances within the department, it is not the responsibility of the DHO or any other head of department to look for the receipts of certain payments.
Me what I want is the accountant to tell me how she could pay the government money and she fails to get the receipts after one year until the auditors came in, that’s why I insist that she must face police and make the statement and exonerate or pin her Boss the DHO.
And by the way even you CAO who who authorised for some payments you also have to be blamed, why didn’t you ask for the receipts after paying for one  year ? Why should we first audit when you have not done your part?,” Kamugisha said.
“I must also challenge you as the committee that its not the responsibility of the accountant, this should be the queries of Dr. Ssebutinde as the person who requisitioned for the money and he must account for it not the accountant.
And this is the reasons why I brought him before this committee,” Kasagara said.
Later, the committee resolved to give the last warning to the accountants of the department and take note that they must stop playing around with government money.
According to Kamugisha, he said that once such issue happens again, in the next PAC meeting the police officer will be directed to arrest the person in charge of unaccounted government money including the CFOs who will also be held responsible.

Related post

Health Minister Aceng pledges support to Ruharo mission hospital

Health Minister Aceng pledges support to Ruharo mission hospital

By Amos Kakungulu Mbarara – The Minister of Health Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng received various challenges faced by patients and staffs…
Locals gang up against Mbarara city leadership over Kenkombe land field

Locals gang up against Mbarara city leadership over Kenkombe…

By Amos Kakungulu Mbarara – Having travelled and toured other cities across the region to study  on garbage management, it still…
Karamoja Affairs Minister Kitutu denied bail, sent back to Luzira

Karamoja Affairs Minister Kitutu denied bail, sent back to…

By WN Admin Kampala – The anti-corruption court on Wednesday denied bail to embattled Karamoja Affairs Minister Mary Goretti Kitutu over…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *