NWOYA – Minister of defense and veteran in charge of general duties has advised local governments to embrace the use of Baraza (a Community based information fora) to tackle corruption scandals causing ineffective service deliveries in the district.
Hon Charles Okello Engola Macodwogo was responding to remarks by Nwoya Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Agnes Akello Ebong during a handover of project worked on by UPDF as part of Social Corporate Responsible (CSR) at Koch Goma health IV in Nwoya district on Thursday.
The minister took lead to handover project worked on by UPDF in Acholi sub-region on Wednesday and Thursday.
The project includes the renovation of classrooms in Omer Primary School in Amuru, St Kizito Aywee primary school in Gulu, renovation of Koch Goma health center III in Nwoya and Lanenober health center III in Omoro district.
Similar activities also took place in East Acholi districts of Kitgum, Agago, Lamwo and Pader.
“I advise you to sit down in a Baraza and clean your house because our intension is not to arrest, but we are interested in changing the attitude of people on corruption.” Hon Okello Engola recommended.
Mrs Akello complained that there is corruption on how Nwoya local governments implement and monitor most government programmes which calls for investigations.
“UPDF should be put in auditing and accounting for all government releases and implementation of the government programme in Nwoya district if we are to effectively achieve in service deliveries” Mrs Akello argued.
She emphasized that the Nwoya local government mishandles government releases.
The RDC noted that with the high level of professionalism and discipline exhibited by the UPDF in the implementation of Terehe Sita project, the force should be put in charge of auditing and account of the district.
Should the leaders of Nwoya district fail to clean the mess about the alleged corruption scandal surrounding service deliveries, Hon Okello Engola promised to direct the State House Anti-Corruption Unit headed by Lt Col. Edith Nakalema to peruse the district system.
Although in the four different project areas in Gulu, Amuru, Nowya and Omoro where UPDF implemented their army week for the 38th Terehe Sita, both local leaders and technical leaders upholds the national forces for being professional, discipline, and result-oriented and integral.
“UPDF should be own companies such that government can award them with contracts to implement local government projects such as schools, roads, hospitals because with the little input they used here, they managed to come out with quality output much more than highly prizes project done by private contractors in the district” LCIII for Lakwana sub-county in Omoro district, Mr Wilson Munu said during his remark.
However, Nwoya District Woman MP, Hon Lilly Adong suggested that instead of putting UPDF to take lead in all sectors, it will require policy review but for the meantime she thought the force can be used to build the capacity of other stakeholders to implement government programs.
“Let us fix the system instead of putting army in all sectors” Hon Adong said. “Although, I think UPDF can be used to build the capacity of other stakeholders and withdraw” she suggested.
During the exercise the defense minister was accompanied by UPDF MP and the Chief of Civil-Military Coordination (CIMIC) Brig. Innocent Oula and Gen. Ivan Koreta who represented the Chief of Defense Force, Gen David Muhoozi.
According to Leut Colonel Twaha Kanyoma the head of Engineering Brigade who supervised the four projects in West Acholi districts, a total of about 182 million was spent to bring back to shape the dilapidated primary schools, health centers and constructing a waiting shade.
