District officials allegedly on the run after stealing PDM funds

According to John Stephen Ekoom, the Ngora Resident District Commissioner, the officials made a run for it last week on Thursday September 1 2022, after information about their impending arrests was leaked from the PDM Secretariat. He said that they were given a directive from said Secretariat to take action against misuse of PDM funds.

The suspects include Lawrence Madada, the Ngora Chief Administrative Officer, Charles Elungat, the Chief Finance Officer, Mackay Otai, the PDM Focal Point Person, Priscilla Asio, the District Planner, among others.

However, speaking to a local media, one of the officials who is being accused, Lawrence Madada, said that at the time he is said to have fled his office, he was in Kumi district on official business.

“I was in the office on Thursday together with the RDC but didn’t receive any communication or complaint regarding PDM mismanagement. We don’t have any issues on the management of PDM but if you think I am on run, come to my office on Monday,” he said over the phone.

The Ngora district chairperson, Mike Odongo L'Asio, said that the matter is being investigated to ensure that the program achieves what it was created for. According to him, more than Shs200 million of the project funds have been mismanaged.

Odongo also said that the Internal Auditor has been directed by the district to carry out a survey that will guide the district administration on their next move. He added that the officials who are allegedly evading accountability also boycotted a meeting that was organised to address the concerns raised by the PDM Secretariat.

Elsewhere, in Kitgum and Kabale districts, district officials have been apprehended due to mismanagement of PDM funds.