Story by Osuta Yusuf
Maracha District
The implementation of the Parish Development Model (PDM) in Egamara Parish, Alikua Sub-county, Maracha East constituency, Maracha District has been suspended due to multiple irregularities concerning the list of beneficiaries.
According to records and local leaders, PDM officials in Egamara Parish, Alikua Sub-county added and verified known deceased individuals, outsiders, and total strangers from outside Maracha District as beneficiaries of the project. This scheme has sparked outrage among the local residents.
Hon. Edema Robert Peterson, the LC3 Chairman for Alikua Sub-county, upon reviewing the list containing the names of outsiders, deceased individuals, and strangers, accused the Egamara Parish PDM officials of including their girlfriends and “ghost” beneficiaries to siphon the funds intended to alleviate poverty among the poor.
Ondoma Hillary, a Village Health Team (VHT) member, accused the PDM officials in Egamara Parish of a lack of unity, which has contributed to these kinds of irregularities.
The Parish Chief for Egamara Parish, Mr. Abiriga Eric, who residents and local leaders confirmed had been critically ill for several months, stated that his illness delayed the payment of PDM beneficiaries in the parish, ultimately leading to the discovery of the discrepancies.
Mr. Dramani Collins, the Assistant Resident District Commissioner (RDC) for Maracha District, condemned the irregularities and threatened to order the arrest of PDM officials if such mistakes occur again. He advised the Parish Chief to ensure that all five villages in Egamara Parish benefit equally, with each village taking two SACCO groups.
The identified gaps and corrupt practices by stakeholders in the implementation of the Parish Development Model in Egamara Parish have prompted Assistant RDC Mr. Dramani Collins to instruct the Alikua Sub-county officials to pause the verification of SACCO members from the parish until the deceased, strangers, and unknown outsiders are removed from the list of beneficiaries.
