LIRA -The Mayor of Lira City East Division, Sam Atul, wants Lira district local government council to follow rules and not divert Shs1.8 billion released for the construction of a health unit at Anyomorem in Ngetta Ward.
The funds released in the financial year 2020/2021 were sent to the district general account, but the district council does not want to release the money, a decision that has not gone well with the mayor Atul.
Two months ago, the Health ministry’s Permanent Secretary Dr. Diana Atwine in a letter advised the district officials to sign a memorandum of understanding [MoU] with Lira City to transfer the funds into the latter’s bank account to kick start the construction of the planned health centre.
Dr. Atwine reaffirmed the position of the ministry towards the construction of the facility and warned that the money should not be diverted by the council.
“The purpose of this letter is to advise you to sign an MoU with Lira City as an instrument for transferring the funds released into your district general fund account for the construction of Anyomorem,” Dr Atwine wrote.
“By copy of this letter, the Town Clerk and acting Commissioner Health Infrastructures department are informed to make follow up and report the progress,” she added.
However, in a council meeting recently, the district council approved the withdrawal of the contested funds and instead allocated the money to the construction of Barlonyo Health Centre in Agweng sub-county, located 20km north of Lira City.
The acting District Information, Officer [DIO], Francis Okello Olwa, when contacted to comment on the matter, said the decision to divert the funds was wrong, adding that the health units the district wants to build are not within the city.
He says, they are in the final stages to award the contract for the construction of the health unit at Anyomorem .
“In the previous financial year [2021/2022], we included the construction of Anyomorem health units in our budget and fortunately the ministry released funds for the project,” Okello says.
“Therefore, how come the money meant for the project is withdrawn and taken for a different project?” He asked.
During the commemoration of 301 people massacred by the Lord’s Resistance Army [LRA] at Barlonyo in Agweng sub-county, the Erute north legislator Christine Akello urged the government to construct health units at the massacre site.
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