By Eusukoit Cuthbert Otim
SOROTI. Local government minister, Raphael Magyezi has called for harsh punishment of public servants involved in the embezzlement of Parish Development Model – PDM funds.
Minister for Local Government Raphael Magyezi arriving at the thanks giving ceremony of the Soroti City East MP. Herbart Edmund Ariko on saturday 16th September 2023.
The minister made the call while delivering his address as a chief guest at a thanks giving ceremony for MP Herbert Edmud Ariko that took place at St Kizito’s technical institute in Soroti east division on Saturday the 16th Sept 2023. He cited corruption as a key vice frustrating the PDM implementation, especially at the parish level.
Magyezi stated this while responding to the aggrieved individuals seeking to benefit from the PDM who raised a complain about public servants who secretly form PDM leadership to fleece intending beneficiaries.
Minister for Local Government Raphael Magyezi interacts with the Soroti City East MP. Herbart Edmund Ariko (Left) and Kumi Municipality Mp Silas Aogon at Soroti on saturday 16th September 2023.
He pronounced that he was told about leaders who are frustrating the program, and promised that all allegations of theft of the money will be thoroughly investigated to prosecute the culprits for their ‘treachery’ acts.
Citing a recent report of Parliament on the performance of PDM, the minister wondered why some parishes across the country only received less than 17 million Shillings as was initially planned adding that the PDM money will be toxic and problematic to those who embezzle it.
Magyezi directed the Resident city commissioner for Soroti city Peter Pex Paak and the Soroti Resident district commissioner Salim Kumakech to arrest all the officials involved in misappropriation of government funds meant to benefit the poor.
“I ask you the locals never to receive any funds less than one million in your accounts, please immediately report to the nearest police authorities or to the office of the RCC or RDC for further scrutiny”, Magyezi told crouds in Soroti.
The PDM is a Government approach for organizing and delivering interventions for wealth creation and employment generation to grassroots Ugandans at the parish level, the lowest economic planning unit to increase household food security and incomes.
The model is standing on seven pillars that include agriculture (production, storage, processing, and marketing); Infrastructure and Economic Services; Financial Inclusion; Social services; Mindset Change, and community mobilization.
According to the minister, in the Financial Year 2023/2024, the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development released up to 131.4 billion Shillings to facilitate PDM but the funds have been misappropriated and largely remain unaccounted for.
Magyezi further pointed out that 476.9 billion Shillings remain pending in the treasury yet to be sent to the different village Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies – SACCOs.
By June 2023, the Government disbursed to the SACCOs 1,059 trillion Shillings.
As of now, available statistics by the Ministry of Finance indicate that only 9,538 out of 10,594 PDM-SACCOs have been formed across the country, indicating a 90 percent target success.