The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Pader, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Members of Pader district executive committee are under the spotlight for allegedly sharing 154 piglets delivered under the Operation Wealth Creation-OWC program for distribution to residents.
According to available information, OWC notified the district about a consignment of 182 piglets but only 154 were delivered and one died during transportation. However, it is alleged that members of the district executive decided to share the piglets among themselves and allocated some to Robert Owot, a renowned investigative journalist.
Pamela Peace Auma, a resident of Kirombe in Lira city was among the purported beneficiaries of the piglets. She however says that no one contacted her on the project. She revealed that her number was registered by Vincent Okema, a resident of Laguti sub-county.
Another fake beneficiary was registered under the names of Bed Agonya Group in Latanya sub-county. She has since been established to be Rose Wassagali, a resident of Masaka district and not Latanya sub-county.
Santo Odora, the Agum wigweng village chairperson in Pukor parish, Pukor sub-county in Pader district says that he did not hear about the consignment from OWC. He wants all those who received the piglets illegally brought to book.
He explained that, “Leaders are elected to work for the locals, but in Pader, they work for themselves which is very disappointing.”
Ballex Okello, the Paiula sub-county LC V councillor in Pader district says that the distribution of the piglets was marred with irregularities.
He accused the district executive of switching the names of beneficiaries provided by the production officer. He claims that the district chairperson took over 82 piglets with him.
Komakech Kilama Okumu, the Pader town council LC V councilor says that the district executive held three meetings planning how to divert the piglets.
He says that the district executive came up with another list as opposed to the one compiled by the production office. He accused the district executive of forging some of the groups.
Wellborn Ottober, the Pader district speaker says that the consignment of the piglets arrived on September 8, 2021, from the OWC. He however says that to his dismay, only a few individuals related to district executive committee members benefited from the piglets. He also says that only 12 out of the 23 sub-counties benefited from the project.
Otobber says that it is a shame for the district executive to divert the piglets meant for delivery to the local community.
Maj. Okumu, the OWC focal person has not yet commented on the allegations. However, the speaker says Maj. Okumu says that the district executive pressured him on the piglets.
The Pader LV C chairperson Fearless Obwoya Oyat has rubbished all the allegations levelled against his executive. He says claims that he took over 80 piglets are false because he did not touch even a single piglet and only intervened to sort out misunderstandings in the production boardroom because of parallel lists.
He says that the piglets went to the right beneficiaries. Obwoya said that the distribution went on well though it did not go down well with other leaders as their sub-counties missed it.
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