Kitgum district officials are sweating following the disappearance of 93 million shillings sent by the ministry of finance to cover teachers’ salary arrears.
The money was sent last year to the district accounts, but since then no one has offered an explanation of how the money vanished. Over 26 primary school teachers have not received their arrears since 2007.
On Monday this week, the office of the Chief Administrative Officer organized a meeting with the affected teachers to reach an understanding.
However, to the dismay of the teachers, officials from the district education department dodged the meeting without offering any explanation. All their known mobile phone numbers were off.
Several teachers have accused the district education officer, Ekwe Okaka Amoo and the former Chief Administrative Officer, Geoffrey Okaka of deliberately refusing to clear their arrears.
Some teachers who claim they went to the DEO to complain, say they were punished with either transfers or their names were deleted from the payrolls.
Felix Eruku Kennedy, who has now accumulated 4.6 million shillings in salary arrears, blamed the DEO and the personnel office for the mess. Eruku says the two offices have been acting strangely since he started following his salary arrears. He blames both the DEO and the personnel officer for transferring teachers to schools where there are no vacancies.
Christine Apio, a primary teacher in Gwok-ongee primary school in Omiya Anyima Sub County is demanding 2.2 million shillings as salary arrears. Apio says since the district has failed to clear her arrears, she is left with no option but seek legal redress from the court.
Pauline Acan Linda says she was first posted to Morongole in Orom Sub County and later to Ojuma where she taught without salary for two years. Acan warns that she cannot continue to teach voluntarily when her money is being eaten by few corrupt individuals.
Kitgum district chairperson, Luka Nyeko has acknowledged the problem but he blames the mess on the district education officer, Amoo Ekwe Okaka and the former chief administrative officer, Geoffrey Okaka.
Nyeko says the DEO should have followed the issue of arrears to ensure that the teachers were paid. He says he is travelling to the ministries of finance, public service and education to find out who the culprits are.
Cue in: “the teachers are claiming…”
Cue out: “…this money reached”
He also wants an answer from the former CAO Geoffrey Okaka on how the money that was sent to the district disappeared. Nyeko fears that there could have been collusion between the office of the CAO, DEO and personnel office to swindle the money. Okaka was transferred to Masindi district.
The DEO, Amoo Okaka Ekwe has not responded to the accusations. Attempts to get him have proved futile as he rarely sits in the office and his known telephone numbers are off.
The Chief Administrative Officer, Charles Otai has promised to investigate the matter and ensure that the affected teachers get their salary arrears.
