Oyam, (UG):- The Shillings 26 million (twenty-six million) expected to be spent on Land for the new Iceme Sub County Headquarters in Oym district have raised mixed reactions from the councillors in the Lango region district.
Iceme Sub County has reportedly spent Shs17m already to complete the purchase of land located in Dele Parish. However, councillors sitting on Thursday, November 14, learnt that the size of the land in the buying agreement is three acres yet the handover report indicated that the land is only one acre.
Nicolas Opio Awelo, the LC3 Chairperson of Iceme Sub County, expressed doubts about the land size compared to the price. He said that he intends to tour the proposed land and call an independent audit of the purchase to confirm if all procedures were followed correctly and funds were used appropriately.
“I am not convinced with the size of the land compared to the money being demanded. Accountability and transparency in this transaction is deficient,” Awelo said.
Patrick Ogwal Ojok, the Senior Assistant Secretary (SAS) of Iceme Sub County, also questioned the high cost, especially in a rural setting. “I got entangled in this land issue without prior background. But in this annual report, they are telling us that the fixed asset that we have is one piece of land for the proposed sub-county headquarters. How can only one hectare of land be purchased at the tune of 26 million shillings in a rural setting,” Ojok asked.
Loy Bless Ajok, the Iceme Sub County female LC5, blamed this mess is due to the lack of supervision by the LC3 Chairperson of Iceme Sub County and his executive.
“The controversy has ignited a broader debate about the proper use of public funds and the need for greater oversight in Iceme Lower Local Government,’’ Ajok said.
Meanwhile, Emmanuel Okodi, the directly elected councillor for Angweta Parish, threatened to demonstrate over the matter if the executive cannot come out and the interest in the matter.
“If immediate action is not taken to address these concerns, we will organize a peaceful demonstration to express our dissatisfaction with the lack of transparency and accountability in this land purchase transaction,” Okodi said.
Do you have a story or an opinion to share? Email us on: [email protected] Or join the Daily Express WhatsApp channel for all the latest news and trends or join the Telegram Channel for the latest updates.
