By Inyakuni Kennedy

Adjumani

Adjumani district chief administrative officer (CAO) Mr. Grandfield Omonda Oriyem has raised a red flag over the delay in paying salaries for secondary school teachers and health workers in Adjumani district. He said the district has a shortfall of UGX; 4 Billion to pay the affected categories. “We closed the financial year (FY) 2021/2022 when we had a shortfall to pay health workers. The decision we took in the month of June when the wage allocation for health was not sufficient is pay to pay the lower carder but the top carder such as U1, U2 and U3 we left them out” Mr. Omonda said. He adds; “in this new financial year we submitted to ministry of finance and ministry of public service domestic Arrears which we are waiting for. When we receive the domestic arrears for the month of June for the health workers, we shall pay them”. He made the remark on Thursday last week during the visit of deputy inspectorate of Government (DIG) Dr. Patricia Achan Okiria. According to CAO, they have done enough circulation of information and explanation that made them to settle down without raising up to demonstrate  or strike as to why they were not paid for the month of June. “We well understood that the budget for the last FY was even exhausted by themselves in the incremental of their wages, and government is committed to pay them as domestic Arrears” he adds.
He said this FY the issue of scientists has equally coursed some disorganization in the relevant ministries which affects payment of salaries for secondary teachers in Adjumani district. “In the First and second quarters we had shortfall though they were covered, but right now we have not pay secondary school teachers for February 2023. The wage allocation for secondary school teachers for this FY is over UGX; 2 Billion and with the enhancement of the scientists our expected wage is UGX; 4 Billion on which we have informed the center about it” Mr. Omonda remarked.

Mr. Dima Robert, the Adjumani District Education Officer (DEO) said due to issues of wage bills, a number of newly recruited teachers in Adjumani district have not being deployed to their duty station despite of the recruitment being done by ministry of education. He notes that Adjumani district has gaps in science teachers. “There are schools that less teachers than the standard required for secondary schools as per ministry of education. As a result, some schools have teachers who are paid by parents-teachers association yet they have done interviews with the ministry but because of issues of wage bills we can not deploy them” he sates.


Mr. Akuba Charles Adjumani District Internal Auditor

Mr. Akuba Charles, the Adjumani district internal Auditor notes the pain of seeing other government workers paid while others are not yet they are rending services. According to standing order, the accounting officers are required to pay salaries by 28^th of every month but the accounting officers hands are tied by issuance of directives. He said last FY lunch allowance for health workers rose from UGX; 44,000 to UGX; 220,000 while for other it rose from UGX; 66,000 to 333,000 per person per month but only UGX; 590 Million out of UGX; 1.5 billion was sent for Adjumani district.

Dr. Patricia Achan Okiria, the deputy inspectorate of Government in her remark said the delay in paying salary is a serious issue in many districts across the country because of financial challenges that the government is facing. She adds the enhancement of science teacher’s salary, medical workers and other scientists is blamed for the discrepancy which must be addressed from the ministries. Mrs. Patricia has appealed to district leaders to design mechanisms to address such anomalies internally for continuous service delivery to the local population as government is committed to the wellbeing of its workers.

COVER PHOTO: Mr. Grandfield Omonda Oryem, the CAO Adjumani District By Inyakuni Kennedy