Public fury in Oyam as subcounty chiefs dodge work for months, office locked over unpaid rent

Oyam | DailyExpress:- Residents of Minakulu Sub-County, Oyam District, are up in arms over what they term as gross absenteeism by civil servants and the ongoing closure of the sub-county offices, which they say has crippled service delivery.

Among the civil servants under fire are Senior Assistant Secretary (SAS) Francis Eyoko and Sub-County Accountant James Epuny, whose alleged prolonged absence from duty has sparked fury and concern across the sub-county.

According to LCIII Chairperson Simon Ayela, SAS Eyoko only reports to the office once a week (on Tuesdays) and has clocked in a mere 12 times in the last four months. The sub-county accountant, James Epuny, has reportedly shown up only once during the entire quarter.

“The SAS only comes on Tuesdays, while the accountant showed up once in three months. This has left us struggling to run even the most basic services,” Ayela said.

Residents say the absence of the two top officials has derailed key government programs, including the Parish Development Model (PDM), community court sessions, and revenue collection.

Office Closure Worsens Crisis

The already dire situation has been worsened by the closure of the sub-county office, which was locked by the landlord over unpaid rent. The office, located along Minakulu–Myene Road, was sealed off a month ago, with all government property still locked inside.

Denis Okello, the landlord, says rent payments stopped in July 2024, and the sub-county now owes him over UGX 7.2 million. “I will not allow anyone to reopen that office until the arrears are cleared,” Okello told DailyExpress.

Ayela confirmed the office closure and said he is now operating under a tree outside the office, further highlighting the administrative breakdown.

Residents Speak Out

The situation has sparked widespread frustration among community members. “Gross absenteeism by duty bearers is the reason we have poor services,” said Augustine Ojok, a resident of Adel Parish.

“Why is the district paying people who don’t work? It’s a waste of public resources,” asked Rose Akite from Olwio Parish.

“We can’t process any community programs or even hold court sessions because the leaders are absent and the office is locked,” said Denis Odoc, Secretary to the LC1 Chairperson of Ebur Village.

Felix Omara, a resident of Opuk Parish, recounted visiting the sub-county office only to find it locked and unattended the entire day.

SAS Accused of Misusing Rent Funds

In a related development, during an emergency sub-county council meeting, Minakulu Sub-County Speaker Francis Omara revealed that SAS Eyoko admitted to misusing funds allocated for rent. The council resolved that he must clear the rent arrears within 14 days.

Eyoko was transferred to Minakulu in the 2023/24 financial year from Abok Sub-County, where LCIII Chairperson Phillips Ogile described him as hardworking but frequently absent due to commuting from Lira City.

“He was a good administrator in terms of paperwork, but his physical presence was lacking,” Ogile noted, suggesting Eyoko would perform better under district-level supervision.

When contacted by DailyExpress, Oyam District LC5 Chairperson Mr Benson Dila Oyuku said his office has not yet received a formal complaint but promised to act once officially petitioned. “I have only heard rumors. Once my office is served with a petition, we shall investigate and take disciplinary action where necessary,” he said.

Attempts to reach the Oyam Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for comment were unsuccessful. When contacted, SAS Eyoko declined to comment, referring inquiries to the sub-county speaker.