By Jaspher Ouni
A section of village and LC II chairpersons in Otuke district are accusing the district after missing ex-gratia pay for three consecutive years.
Otuke district local government has been paying ex-gratia for village and LC II chairpersons after securing Shs 51 million from the central government.
Payments were made in sub-counties of Ogwete, Olilim, Ogor, Alango and Adwari town council.
Government introduced payment of shillings one hundred twenty thousand to each village and LC II chairperson as ex-gratia to facilitate their services. The money is paid every financial year.
However, some of the LC’s missed the money as their villages were not among those in the list to be paid.
The LC I of Acamo village in Adwari town council Bonny Omara, said he has missed ex-gratia for three consecutive financial years on ground that his village does not exist.
In Adwari town council, Omara says three of his colleagues were not paid over the same. The villages are Ajobi, Acamo and Oculoi.
According to Omara, their villages have always been considered to carryout mobilization for other government programs.
Omara wondered why they would mobilize for programs like the indoor residual spray and livestock census among others and still missed out ex-gratia.
“We have not been getting the money for the last three financial years,” Omara added.
The LC III of Adwari town council Simon Obong Opio said he raised the matter with district officials.
“I was advised to take the chairpersons to the district planning department to have the matter rectified,” he said.
“The chairpersons are tired of going to the district over the same matter. They always incur expenses traveling to the district every time,” Obong Opio added.
The secretary finance, planning and administration Gasper Okello admitted to receiving concerns from some sub-counties where payments were made.
Okello Gasper says the problem came during the creation of new administrative units as he promise to find a solution.
