By Steven Enatu
SOROTI CITY
With a week to end the financial 2022/2023, Soroti City East Division has embarked on marathon commissioning of different projects that were approved for the current financial year.
Among the projects commissioned on Monday include the rehabilitation of public toilet at oligoi football pitch, the cooking shade at Moru-Apesur health center III, finishing of two class room block at Moru Apesur primary school.
However Ramadan Bogere, the Speaker Soroti City East has accused the Division Mayor, Paul Omer and the executive for smuggling in unplanned projects on the budget.
He said the council had approved thirteen projects for the financial year ending 22/23.
These include installation of solar systems in five government schools of 25million, cooking shade at Moru apesur Health center three, Toilet at public gardens at 25million, construction of a pit latrine at Aloet primary school among others.
“We have documents from the treasury confirming that monies were released. I think the problem is the division mayor here trying to divert the money, “he said.
The alleged smuggled project is the rehabilitation of the mayor’s office at a tune of 10million. “This is the money meant for the rehabilitation of public gardens toilet and where are they putting the balance?” he asked.
“We had not planned to renovate the office of mayor or division offices, if you begin renovating this office where shall the staff go, can you take the office out? This office keeps very expensive documents. As a speaker I have never presided over council approving renovation of the mayor’s speaker” Bogere said.
Meanwhile the deputy Mayor Soroti city east Emmanuel Osigire who doubles as the leader of council business refuted the allegations.
He said renovation of the mayor’s office that is evidently cracked was approved by council that he Bogere presides over at a tune of 5million and any adjustment in the amount was through the guidance from the City engineer basing on the current prices of materials.
“The budget and the work plan for 2022/2023. Whatever has been said, I think people don’t review their documents. Several times councilors go for meetings; we are talking about the budget, they are talking about the allowances, that’s where the problem is. Page 55 of the FY 2022/2023 budget clearly indicates that renovation of the mayor’s office in Kengere Community hall was approved at 5million. This was revised by the technical persons including the engineer to 10million” Osigire responded.
On diversion of funds meant for construction of public garden toilet Osigire said the French development agency is coming to help the city develop public gardens.
Under the local government financing and accounting regulation 2007, Osigire said they were guided by chapter 25 of the above regulations to revise estimates and reallocate funds within items under different projects and employee costs.
“I know they will run to the local government act that council is supreme but the laws don’t work in isolation that’s why parliament developed the local government act and the local government finance and accounting regulations. We simply dwelled on the urgency with guidance from the technical persons, do they want this office to collapse on the mayor?” he asked.
