Arua Data Entrant Clerks Want to Return their UGX 100,000 Covid-19 Relief

Eight Data entrants from Arua city who were charged with the responsibility of registering vulnerable people have requested to refund the 100,000 shillings that they got irregularly.

The data entrants where today appearing before the Public Accounts Committee on Local Government chaired by Bar dege-Layibi MP Martin Ojara Mapenduzi alongside Arua city officials. 

The committee is probing the fraudulent process of registering beneficiaries meant to receive the COVID-19 relief of 100,000 shillings.

The committee however established that the same people who were charged with registering names chose to register their names first, as beneficiaries taking advantage of the system.

  However, most all of the data entrants told the committee that they are all volunteers in Arua city and they needed the money. Of the 14 data entrants from Arua city, 8 said they are willing to return back the money and that what they did was regrettable.

Some of the data entrants are Mikail Adam Juma, Komuntale Shamim,  John Henry,  Donna Munguci, Godfrey Oyimidri, John Dominic and Sandra Fariyo.

Each of them admitted one by one that they used their positions to put their names.

//Cue in: “My name is…

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The committee was however told by the data entrants that they were working in the district as volunteers, and they are not paid.

The chairperson Mapenduzi questioned why the whole process was left to the volunteers. However, the City officials said that the task was given to the statisticians.

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  On those who wanted to refund the money before the the committee, the chairperson said that they have opened up an inquiry with the Criminal investigations department of Parliament, and people who handle the issue of receiving money will handle it but not MPs.

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Noah Kemisi  Muzaid, the Central Division Mayor Arua said it is sad that the data entrants did that and even refunding the money can not help. He said that sadly the people in charge of identifying data entrants went for the cheaper option in volunteers.

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  Meanwhile, the committee also queried how hundreds of female boda boda riders were registered to receive the 100,000 shillings and yet there are only two female boda boda riders in Arua.

The data entrants and three Arua City officials where taken to record statements with the CID even as the committee looks at if they are to refund the money.