Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /usr/www/users/urnnet/a/story.php on line 43 Arua District Fails to Pay UGX 690M to Retired Staff :: Uganda Radionetwork
According to Eswelu, they failed to collect sufficient local revenue because of the low revenue base. He revealed that revenue collection in the district dropped from over Shillings 1Billion to Shillings 426Million, which he attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and creation of Terego district and Arua City hence denying them some sources of revenue.
Jude Mark Bukenya the new Chief Administrative Officer of Arua district (l) receiving handover reports from Donath Eswelu at the district headquarters.
Arua district local government is grappling with a shortage
of Shillings 699 million to clear the gratuity and pensions of staff who
retired in the 2020/2021 financial year. Donath Eswelu, the outgoing Arua Chief
Administrative Officer revealed this during the handover of office to his successor,
Jude Mark Bukenya.
Records indicate that over 50 staff from various departments
retired after clocking the mandatory 65-year retirement age last financial
year. The majority of the retirees are
in the education department. According to Eswelu, they failed to collect sufficient local revenue
because of the low revenue base.
He
revealed that revenue collection in the district dropped from over Shillings 1Billion
to Shillings 426Million, which he attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and creation
of Terego district and Arua City hence denying them some sources of revenue. Eswelu tasked his
successor to look for funds to pay the retired civil servants their packages.
//Cue in: “Declining local revenue.…
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Alfred Okuonzi, the LC 5 chairman Arua noted that the
performance indicators of the district have been below average, which
translates into a shortage of funds. According to Okuonzi all revenue performance
indicators for Arua district have turned red, saying they have to work hard to
change the status quo.
//Cue in; As a district, all our.…
Cue out; change that as a team.…. //
Festus Ayikobua, the Arua Resident District Commissioner said
staff abscondment from duty has partly contributed to the underperformance of
the district, adding that there is need for more effective supervision of
residual staff to ensure they perform their roles in revenue enhancement.
//Cue in: “For you to really have.…
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Jude Mark Bukenya, the new Arua Chief Administrative Officer
who was posted from Wakiso district called for cooperation and teamwork from
the heads of department and all staff so as to change the performance
indicators for the better. Bukenya also
warned staff against gossip and rumour-mongering, saying they undermine their
efforts to achieve the goals of the district.
//Cue in: “These heads of departments.…
Cue out:..let’s come and work,”//
Donath Eswelu, who has been transferred to Amolatar District,
served Arua district with 1,030 staff members for the last two and a half years
since he was posted on December 28th 2018. Jude Mark Bukenya is the second CAO
posted to Arua district in less than two months after the first one Simon Peter
Kandole succumbed to COVID- 19 before taking over office.
