Aid funds from Norway that were intended to go towards reconstruction efforts in northern Uganda have been misused. (Photo: Minister of International Development Heikki Holmås)
This misuse of funds was discovered by the Office of the Auditor General of Uganda.
“This amounts to no less than stealing from the impoverished people of northern Uganda who have been subjected to conflict and misrule for years. We have a policy of zero tolerance for corruption and other misuse of funds, and we intend to get to the bottom of this,” said Minister of International Development Heikki Holmås.
A report published by the Office of the Auditor General of Uganda on 19 October 2012 contains strong criticism of the Office of the Prime Minister in Uganda. The criticism concerns the misuse of aid funds intended for the reconstruction of northern Uganda under the Peace, Recovery and Development Plan for Northern Uganda (PRDP).
“We are now carrying out a full investigation into the extent of the fraud. Together with other donor countries, we will make sure that we have all the facts on the table. When we have a more accurate picture of what has happened and how it could have happened, we will decide on an appropriate response. Funds that cannot be accounted for or funds reported as misused must be returned,” Mr Holmås says.
Over the past few years several donors, such as the UK, Norway, Sweden, Ireland and Denmark, have provided a total of NOK 155 million for reconstruction efforts in northern Uganda. Norway has provided NOK 60 million. The report published by the Office of the Auditor General of Uganda indicates widespread irregularities and fraud involving some NOK 75 million. Of this, NOK 27 million of the funding provided by Norway has been misused, according to the report.
“One bright spot in all of this is that the misuse of funds was revealed by Uganda’s own audit institution. Norway has supported the development of the Office of the Auditor General of Uganda for many years. This case shows how important this cooperation is", Mr Holmås says.
(NRK/Press release)
Uganda has transferred NOK 23 million to Norway in repayment for aid funds that had been misappropriated. (Photo: Minister of International Development Heikki Holmås)
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