Africa-Press – Uganda. Government has started investigations aimed at recovering over Shs100million paid to 60 ghost pensioners in Masindi District as showed in the auditor general report for Financial Year 2021/22.
The said individuals are believed to have illegally been on the State payroll for about six months.
An external audit report presented to the local government ministry and Parliament public accounts’ committee showed that the above “ghost pensioners paid following gross irregularities cannot be traced.”
But the state minister for local government, Ms Victoria Businge Rusoke August 26 directed the Masindi Chief Administrative Officer “to look for and recover the funds from the ghost pensioners.”
“We want to bring everyone implicated to book and take disciplinary action,” she vowed.
According to Ms Busingye, the former Masindi District CAO, Mr Geoffrey Nkurunzinza will be summoned to explain how the ghost pensioners ended up on the payroll while he was still in office.
“It’s unfortunate that the paid ghost pensioners cannot be found despite all the efforts made,” the current Masindi District CAO, Ms Phionah Sanyu told Monitor.
“We were summoned to Parliament Public Accounts’ Committee over payroll issues and other issues raised in the auditor general’s report, they were not convinced, and we have even made a statement over the matter,” Ms Sanyu added.
Last month, she interdicted the principal human resource officer and appointed an acting officer as investigations continue.
Masindi District chairman, Mr Cosmas Byaruhanga, said they will ensure that they work with investigators to unearth the ghost pensioners.
Area RDC Mr Emmy Ngabirano noted that police and the Inspectorate of Government are also part of the probe which will see suspects, if found, tried.
For More News And Analysis About Uganda Follow Africa-Press
