IS IT A SURPRISE IF SHS 3.7BN IS NOT SEEN?

Shs3.7 billion unaccounted for as NUSAF II kicks off
Posted Saturday, January 29 2011 at 00:00
What the people of Uganda have to know is that much of this money is a loan to the country which has to be paid back.
William Kituuka
Lira
At least Shs3.7 billion meant for the first phase of the Northern Uganda Social Action Fund (Nusaf)to fight poverty and improve standards of living in northern Uganda has not been accounted for as the second phase unfolds this year.
Dr Robert Limlim, the director of Nusaf II said Karamoja sub- region led in misappropriation of funds with up to Shs1.7 billion still unaccounted for although investigations to apprehend those who misused the money were still ongoing.
Dr Limlim said due to discrepancies in spending, several beneficiaries and officials did not return accountability forms to the management unit as required. “Slow but surely we are getting down to arrest those implicated in the fraudulent use of the funds,” Dr Limlim said while briefing district information officers, district Nusaf desk officers and journalists at a conference held in Lira on Friday. He said chief administrative officers of the beneficiary districts have been tasked to categorise the unaccounted for and unfinished projects and forward the list to the Nusaf head quarters for action.
The State Minister for Information, Ms Kabakumba Masiko, however, blamed slow process of prosecuting culprits on judicial officials, whom she accused of tossing some of the cases. Ms Masiko, however, said Nusaf phase II would be free of corruption and embezzlement, saying those implicated in phase I have been left out.
Meanwhile about Shs7.1 billion for the second phase of the programme will be released to the 55 beneficiary districts before the end of this month, according to Ms Masiko. Phase II which covers sub-regions of Lango, Acholi, West Nile, Teso, Karamoja, Bukedi, Bunyoro and Elgon is a specific investment loan of $200 from the World Bank to alleviate poverty in the disadvantaged districts in Uganda