The Parliamentary Accounts Committee has given up to the 15TH of April as the deadline to Gulu University Officials to account for 4.2 billion shillings.
This following a declaration by the Auditor General’s report of 2019 indicating the unexplained variance in revenue collected.
Those before the committee were the Accounting Officer ; Asaph Adebua, Senior Internal Auditor, Bayo Paul, Senior Procurement Officer, Otera Adam Ogora , Wesonga Emanuel, the planning officer, Nyeko John, the Acting University Bursar and Ms. Safina Naggayi, Director of Human Resources.
The summarised student receipts indicate total receipts of 7.7billion however management disclosed a figure of 12 Billion,reflecting a difference of 4.2billion.
The committee, chaired by Chua West legislator Okin Ojara, was not satisfied with their defence in alleging that the misstatement was as a result of a system error.
Members noted that , there was no two way about it and that they must account for that money which will end up becoming a receivable for the university .
‘’It cannot be dropped without evidence. There is no further appeal do not think about it even.’’
In his response, Asaph Adebua,the accounting officer said, ‘’You Know when the final accounts is being prepared it involves a number of teams, that is why it first has to be prepared as a draft. As you will have noticed what the university budget for was twelve billion, ‘’he insisted.’
This prompted interruption from members who urged him to stop ‘insulting their intelligence’ since the document before them was not a draft.
It is basing on their submission that Bunyole West MP James Waluswaka raised a motion calling for their indictment.
‘having been noted that the accounting officer together with his team could not explain the variance in the revenue collected and his failure to notify the ministry about the same, I do propose that the rules of the Public Finance Management Act come into play and not only him but also that the auditor and accountant because they are the ones who misguided the accounting officers.’ Waluswaka said.
Section 78 (2)of the Public Finance Management Act says where it is established that the institution or department did not meet any of the requirements of this act or contravenes this act due to negligence or misconduct of the public officer or the institution or department ,the public officer shall be held personally liable in accordance with the section 78 and 8 of the act.
The committee has faulted the officials and resolved that where there was misconduct or negligence in accountability , since there was no evidence provided, it will identify those who were personally liable.
The consequence is remission of 4 Billion shillings to the consolidated fund from themselves or face arrest.