Stolen Gulu youth fund worth 200 Million Ugx recovered from top official

Gulu district has recovered more than Shillings 200 million that was swindled from the Youth Livelihood Project-YLP by a top official.

The money is part of the Shillings 224 million was stolen by the Chief Accountant, David Lalonyo in October last year. The money was meant to benefit 31 youth groups in the district.

It is alleged that Lalonyo diverted the funds to his farm in Amuru district shortly after withdrawing it for disbursement to the youth groups. He was arrested in November and later interdicted over the money.

Now, Jessica Anena, the Focal Person Youth Livelihood Project Gulu district, says Lalonyo has been paying back the funds in installment through Police.  According to Anena, Lalonyo made the last installment of Shillings 6 million in December 2016.

Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, the Gulu District LC V chairperson says the recovered money will go towards financing activities of the 31 youth groups. He says they are yet to recover Shillings 17 million from the chief accountant.

Three of the groups that were meant to benefit from the disbursement are Dika can Pwonya, youth piggery group in Ongako sub county, Layik youth piggery group in Bungatira sub county and Labworomor Bed ki Gen youth group.

The Youth Livelihood Project is a poverty alleviation program initiated by the government of Uganda in 2013 after the failure of youth venture fund. Among others, it aims at addressing the sky rocketing unemployment among the youth population in the country.

-URN