Several farmers in Kitgum district have abandoned NAADS programme citing massive corruption.
Several residents have already petitioned the office of the Resident District Commissioner accusing the LC I chairpersons and their executives of soliciting bribes to include people on the list of beneficiaries.
In Amida sub-county, the lower local council units are accused of giving the NAADS benefits to their own relatives. The same story has been heard in Omia Anyima and other sub-counties.
In Kitgum Matidi sub-county, the LC I official was exposed during follow up meeting with the RDC, Santo Okot Lapolo.
James Komakech from Ibakara parish says for the last two years, the lists of the beneficiaries have never changed and they are not allowed to ask why. He urged the RDC to intervene so that other farmers can benefit.
Sara Apio faces the same dilemma. Apio, a resident of Obyen Central says she was asked to pay a bribe of 150,000 shillings in order to be registered a beneficiciary. She wants the LC removed from the seat so that more beneficiaries can have access to the program.
The sub county chairperson Pido Grison Opoka Adal has acknowlegded the problem. He says the local council one official extort bribes from the farmers and accused them of selecting their relatives and refusing to mobilize locals for meetings.
Kitgum Resident Disrict Commissioner, Santa Okot Lapolo, says the problems are real. Lapolo says his office has launched a sensitization drive to understand the problem and deal with it.
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But the local leaders in Kitgum Matidi have rubbished the claims.
Mathew Nyango Gwa, the LC1 chairperson of Obyen central says the stories have been concocted by their rivals to discredit them. He says he has never interfered with the selection process of the beneficiaries.
Andrew Onekalit LCI of Bobi central says those implicating the local council one officials have failed to adhere to the conditions set to become a beneficiary.
He also says most of the people complainants are political losers.
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