By Weswa Ronnie
SIRONKO
Sironko district local government has seen Shs100 million unspent Road fund money go back to the Consolidated Fund due to the rigid Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS).
This was revealed by Lydia Gimono, the LCV vice Chairperson of Sironko district while addressing councilors today Wednesday, 6th November during a budget conference of 2025/26 financial year at the district head offices.
Gimono says that the bouncing back of the money has not only affected them as leaders politically but also people in the community they represent since their roads are currently in bad state.
She says that the Shs100 million was part of 1 billion shillings allocated to each district by the Central government for road rehabilitation. She adds that after releasing the money, government delayed to give local governments guidelines on how to use the money.
She explained further that by the time government gave guidelines, rain was too much making road works difficult and on top of that, the minister for works directed all local governments to suspend road maintenance works due to the heavy rains.
Integrated Financial Management Information System [IFMIS] is a new electronic system which was introduced at district local governments by central government.
The central government uses the system to transfer money for development works to districts.
Herbert Musika, a councilor representing Nalusala Sub County also doubling as Sectary for social services urged the technical leaders not to allow money go back to the National Treasury again in the next financial year, 2025/26.
He says that when locals hear about money going back, they get a lot of pressure as elected leaders since majority of the roads especially at hard to reach areas are in bad condition.
Musika adds that although some budgeted roads were worked on, some have not yet been worked on up to now yet they are in the new FY 2024/25.
They urged central government to suspend IFMIS system of wiring money to local governments until they work on it and make sure that its system is okay unless.
Charles Nasusi, the Assistant Sironko District Engineer apologized for the occurrence saying it was not their making as technical staff as some political leaders are thinking but the Integrated Financial Management Information System, (IFMIS) which delayed to release money.
He says that by the time the system accepted to normalize, money had already been transferred to national treasury.
Nelson Kirinda the Sironko district Chief administrative officer told councilors that so far that’s the system government is using to wire money for development to district local government saying they have to endure with the system.
Source link
