All OPM goats supplied to Karamoja died - MPs

Members of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament (PAC) have accused interdicted undersecretary of the Office of the Prime Minister of causing financial loss of over Shs19 billion when they procured over 73,000 goats for Karamoja that have all since died.

This came up as officials from OPM were appearing before PAC to answer to audit queries of the Financial Year 2022/2023 as reflected in the Auditor General's report.

In the financial year 2022 /2023 government issued Shs39 billion for the procurement of goats so that they could be distributed to the people of Karamoja to transform their lives.

Shs25 billion was used to procure 73,900 goats were procured at a cost Shs25 billion and every beneficiary was to get 16 goats.

According to the Auditor General's report of the year under review, 107 beneficiaries were sampled who together go 1,310 goats worth Shs472 million.

One of the MPs from Karamoja told the committee that the animals have all since died, some rustled hence not meeting the government intention of transforming the livelihood of people in the region

The MPs on the Public Accounts Committee are accusing the interdicted undersecretary in the OPM of causing financial loss to government of 19 billion shillings.

The MPS are also querying the procurement of 35,164 iron sheets for the various regions, including Busoga, Teso, Luwero, Bunyoro and Northern Uganda, but were delayed to be distributed without any justifications.

The MPS are demanding for an audit report from the Auditor General about Shs8 billion that was used to buy the iron sheets for the people of Karamoja, as affirmative action.

PAC also queried why OPM continued to hold onto the money to compensate for veterans in the banks. The money in question is Shs29 billion.

"Veterans are suffering and some have passed on and for you are confertable fixing their money in centenary bank like that? You need to be human enough," PAC chairperson Muwanga Kivumbi said.

Asked to explain how much was fixed on the accounts, the Permanent Secretary in OPM, Mr Dunstan Balaba, said he was new in the office but promised to immediately write to the Centenary Bank and ask them to provide the details of the account balance.

"I will present to you a copy of the bank statement," Mr Balaba said.