By KIYINGI GODFREY
The Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources and Environment has criticized several ministries and government departments for failing to comply with the Public Finance Management Act, a lapse disrupting the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC).
Although the Ministry of Finance released 81 billion shillings to settle water utility arrears for 14 ministries and agencies, only 10 remitted their dues.
Committee Chairperson Herbert Ariko said the issue now lies with accounting officers at the Ministry of Gender, Ministry of Defence, the Uganda Police Force and Mulago Hospital, who have failed to transfer the funds.
He warned that the noncompliance is undermining NWSC’s ability to buy water treatment chemicals, maintain infrastructure and service loans. NWSC’s Engineer Alex Gisagara reported that 55.5 billion shillings—57% of the released funds is still being held by MDAs.
Ariko vowed that Parliament will hold errant accounting officers accountable, even as Mulago presented proof that repayment processes had begun.
