FORMER ARUA DISTRICT INSPECTOR OF SCHOOLS UNDER SCRUTINY OVER GOVERNMENT ASSETS AFTER RETIREMENT

Arua district Headquarters in Arua city. //File Photo

By Dramadri Federick

Arua City

Wadri Henry, a former Arua District Inspector of Schools who also served as acting District Education Officer, is under scrutiny over allegations that he has failed to hand over government property following his retirement from active civil service.

Information from the office of the Arua District Chief Administrative Officer indicates that Wadri retired from active service in February 2025 but has allegedly continued occupying a government house at EARS and has not handed over a district motorcycle that was assigned to him for monitoring and inspection of education activities.

The motorcycle and government accommodation are among the public assets the district says should have been surrendered when Wadri exited active service.

Arua District Chief Administrative Officer, Kabugo Deo, says his office has written to Wadri on two occasions directing him to vacate the government house and hand over the motorcycle.

Kabugo says Wadri has not responded to the directives, prompting the district to initiate further administrative action to establish the status of the government assets.

“It is very clear that once you retire, you have to return all government assets. I have directed the Principal Assistant Chief Administrative Officer, the Internal Auditor and the Senior Finance Officer in charge of revenue to handle the matter, and I am yet to receive a report,” Kabugo said.

The matter was also reportedly raised before the former Arua District Council in 2025, with councillors directing the accounting officer to ensure that government property in the possession of former officers is recovered.

However, the council directive is said not to have been fully implemented, raising questions about the district’s enforcement of its own resolutions and public service regulations.

Arua District Chairman, Cosmas Ayikobua, says the continued occupation of government accommodation by a retired officer could affect the district’s ability to provide accommodation for serving personnel.

Ayikobua says some government employees may be forced to commute long distances while institutional houses remain occupied by individuals who are no longer serving in the district administration.

“By now, he should have vacated because he is no longer working with Arua District Local Government. I am yet to find out more about whether he had some internal arrangements with the district,” Ayikobua said.

The district leadership says it is now seeking to establish the circumstances under which the government house and motorcycle remained in Wadri’s possession after his retirement and whether there were any formal arrangements authorizing his continued use of the property.

Several attempts to reach Wadri Henry for his response to the allegations were unsuccessful. His known telephone number was unreachable at the time of reporting.

The allegations come amid concerns over the management and accountability of government assets at the local-government level, particularly property assigned to public officers for official duties.

Under Uganda’s public service framework, government property entrusted to an officer in the course of duty is expected to be accounted for and surrendered when the officer leaves service, subject to the applicable rules and any authorized arrangements.

The district says it is pursuing the matter through administrative channels, including an assessment by its internal audit and finance officials, to establish the status of the assets and recommend further action.

The council is also pushing for enforcement of its earlier resolution and recovery of any government property that remains in the possession of the retired officer.

The case has renewed questions about the enforcement of public service regulations in Arua District, the protection of public assets and the accountability of officials after leaving government service.

Written by newsroom-radiopacis