The Permanent Secretary Mr Pius Bigirimana with Minister of State for Youth and Children Affairs M/s Nakiwala Kiyingi
Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) yesterday tasked ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development permanent secretary Pius Bigirimana to explain queries raised by the auditor general in his FY 2015/16 and 2016/17 reports.
Among the queries raised by the auditor general John Muwanga in the reports, is the existence ghost beneficiaries under the Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP) - noting that about 527 million of the fund money is non-traceable. The money was allegedly spent on ghost groups in 30 districts randomly sampled during the audit period.
Muwanga also raised concern in the 2015/16 financial year audit report that Bigirimana was compensated Shs 43 million for sustaining injuries in 2013 in the line of duty, yet police officers with claims dating back to 1996, have been put on the waiting list for all this time.
Appearing before the MPs, Bigirimana in his defense said the existence of ghost beneficiary groups should be directed to district accounting officers since payments are based on clearance by district authorities. He however, said he had taken note that, groups that collapsed or changed location and business direction after receiving funds had been captured as ghosts by the auditors.
"There were four categories; those that changed course of business; those that changed physical location, as well as groups that split immediately after formation and those that collapsed after their members got married," said Bigirimana.
According to the AG’s report, the Youth Livelihood Programme lacked a proper accountability framework or detailed guidelines for accountability of the revolving funds. Muwanga said that implementing entities under the programme accounted for funds differently, noting that this isn't only a recipe for improper accounting for funds, but also impedes comparability of accounting reports across the implementing entities.
According to the auditor general, overall recoverability of the funds as at 28th October, 2016 stood at Shs 5.5 billion - a paltry 39 per cent of the Shs 14.2 billion that was due for repayment by the beneficiaries. YLP was rolled out in 2014 and the first recovery was expected in 2016.
Bigirimana attributed the low recovery rate to the fact that the programme had just started and that many projects were yet to yield results, adding that those that ventured in agriculture were affected by drought and the Fall ArmyWorm.
Gaffa Mbwatekamwa, the Kasambya County MP tasked Bigirimana to explain the failure by his ministry to wipe out corrupt officials from the ministry and local government administration units who ask for kickbacks from the beneficiaries. Dorothy Azairwe Nshaija, the Kamwenge Woman MP also expressed concern about the failure by the ministry to sweep out ghost groups.
Masindi Woman MP, Jalia Bintu tasked Bigirimana to explain the steps being taken to ensure such incidents don't happen again. Bigirimana concurred with the legislators, saying that they have had such cases but argued that the MPs should also get involved since the program is comprehensive and involves district authorities.
He said that in Katakwi, the chairperson of Usuk LC III was arrested after he colluded with his own to defraud the fund of Shs 10 million. At least Shs 7 million was recovered. He said similar cases had been recorded in Gulu and other districts and that action had been taken.
On the irregularities in the issuance of workman compensation, the MPs noted with concern the unclear criteria for compensating government employees who suffer occupational injuries and other forms of hazards while at work. Masaka Municipality MP, Mathias Mpuuga tasked Bigirimana to explain the criteria used to pay workers who have been injured and who determines the dangers.
In his response, Bigirimana, said compensation is paid on first come first serve basis except where the situation is worse and dangerous. Asked to explain further, Bigirimana said priority is given to people who sent in their claims earlier, which are assessed by him as the PS and other committee members for payment.
Mpuuga insisted that there are complaints of unfair treatment and favouritism from unpaid workman claims, saying the matter shouldn't be disposed until Bigirimana presents approval details.
Bigirimana said there is a committee composed of the accountant, himself and the commissioner for labour that takes charge of handling claims and approving benefits. Masindi Woman MP, Jalia Bintu asked whether the ministry has got internal mechanisms where cases or complaints are handled.
"We have received cases of that nature and I have handled them myself, we have a formula of how we arrive at the compensation," said Bigirimana. He further said beyond himself, the medical board handles complaints and compensations.
The committee tasked Bigirimana to explain his 2013 compensation yet several police officers have not been paid since 1996 despite claiming smaller amounts. He explained that he was involved in a helicopter crash and sustained injuries.
"I was operated and that assessment was not done by me, it was by the ministry of Gender before I went there," Bigirimana said.
At the time, he was the permanent secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM). Ntungamo Municipality MP, Gerald Karuhanga put it to him that he used his office in OPM to call his colleagues in Gender to process his claim, a claim Bigirimana rejected.