Apollonius Enima, the Focal Person on a police pickup after his arrest ordered by the Minister on Friday. Photos by Federick Dramadri
By Federick Dramadri
Terego: Apollonius Enima, the Focal Person for Parish Development Model (PDM) in Terego district is detained at Omugo Police Station for failing to account for Shs 4.5 bn.
The money in question was reportedly released to the local government to facilitate the various PDM groups during the financial year 2022/2023.
Enima, also the Terego District Commercial Officer was arrested on orders of Grace Freedom Kwiyucwiny, the State Minister for Northern Uganda at a community baraza, after he failed to provide the list of groups and how much the district had received.
During the community Baraza organized by the Office of the Prime Minister at Otumbari Secondary School on Friday, Enima provided mismatching information to the audience, contrary to the report he shared with the Minister, leading to his arrest.
Attempts by Benson Humprey Otim, the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to explain how the PDM funds were used did not prevent the minister’s directive to arrest Enima.
“Please, arrest him because this is spoiling the image of the government, the good intentions of the government are not reaching the people,” Kwiyucwiny ordered.
Demand for detailed accountability
Kwiyucwiny directed the CAO to submit reports on every money sent to the district, and provide detailed accountability as investigators on the commercial officer begin.
“How can you get millions of money and you cannot even mention a group? You cannot even mention a person who has benefited and you can’t say where the money is?” Kwiyucwiny questioned.
Obiga Kania, the Member of Parliament Terego East Constituency, also the State Minister of Urban Development, acknowledged that the PDM funds were mismanaged.
Kania noted that a lot of the funds were diverted to purchase agricultural inputs, provide veterinary services, and conduct training contrary to the PDM guidelines.
“Activities done include payment of salary of extension workers, disease surveillance and control under veterinary sector, and procurement of agricultural inputs,” Kania said.
Festus Ayikobua the Resident District Commissioner of Terego claimed that there is a deliberate move by all heads of department in the district to conceal information from the security, which he said is breeding corruption.
Ayikora said since he started working in the district in 2023, all his requests for documents from the commercial officer about PDM have not been responded to.
“I have many times requested that you give me the list because I have the mandate to go and follow with the beneficiaries but there’s nothing on the ground,” he explained.
Beneficiaries react
Alban Aguta a beneficiary of the PDM funds in Ndaapi Parish, complained that the shs 1,000 levied by Parish Committees on beneficiaries before registration is too high.
Avako Emily, a community member from Drikoa village in Obi Parish, Omugo sub county commended the government’s approach of public accountability through community baraza, saying it’s the only way of fighting corruption.
“I feel very happy [about the arrest] because those people are very corrupt,” she said.
Records from the OPM indicate that out of the Shs74.3b sent to the West Nile region, only shs61.9b have so far been disbursed to the beneficiary accounts since February 2022.
PDM is a government of Uganda strategy launched in February 2022 to improve the income and welfare of the population at the household level.
