Six districts miss out over accountability as Road Funds are released

Six districts will not receive the final payment by the Uganda Road Fund (URF) for the financial year 2017/2018 after they failed to submit their accountabilities of funds that were given to them for quarter 3.

While releasing the funds which are for maintaining roads, Michael Odongo the Executive Director of URF said that the matter is yet to be forwarded to the ministry of local governments to task the accounting officers of those districts to come clean.

URF Friday  released the final disbursement of over Shs127 billion that is aimed at maintaining both national roads and district roads.

The money has already been wired on the accounts of the designated agencies which include; Uganda National Roads Authority, KCCA, 121 local governments (districts and municipalities) and their agencies town councils and sub counties.

The money comes at a time when many district roads have been come impassable due to the damage of torrential rains the country is experiencing now.

“We request all the agencies to ensure that they maintain all the roads and bridges that haven been heavily affected by the rains, if it wasn’t in the plans presented to the ministry consult you change of plans “says Nathan Byanyuma board member URF.

 

Uganda National Roads Authority has received the highest.

UNRA                                                                                               shs85 BN

KCCA                                                                                                shs6BN

DISTRICTS                                                                                      shs15BN

MUNICIPALITIES                                                                        shs8BN

TOWN COUNCILS                                                                        Shs6BN

MECHANICAL IMPREST                                                          shs3BN

EMERGENCY FUNDING                                                          shs750m

BRIDGES                                                                                         SHS390m

Byanyuma says that as per the plans presented to the URF, the money will see the maintenance of Kyinda Road(0.55km) in Nakawa Division and Kalungu road /Mwedde crescent (2.5kms) in Makindye division, all under KCCA.

UNRA shall use the fund to improve drainage, grading and gravelling roads like; Kibuye-Zana – Entebbe airport road(37km), Luwero-Kikyuusa – Zirobwe(37km), Lira –Aduku &Ngetta-Puranga(92km) among others.

But according to Odongo, some districts haven’t been given money since they failed to present their accountability.

These include; Amuru, Kibale, Kiruhura, Rubanda, Kyenjojo, Nakaseke and the 2 municipalities of Kamuli and Busia.

“This show negligence of accounting officers who failed to monitor the works of the districts and some even misused the money which makes it hard to account for it, if they don’t present their accountability by next week then the matter shall be forwarded to the ministry of local government “ Odongo said.

 Next financial year the Uganda road fund will be putting much emphasis on the removal of bottlenecks caused by floods on the local government roads.