A Nigerian poverty female minister ‘had 19million British pounds in several of her bank accounts:

18 April, 2024

 

By World Media

 

A corruption investigation into a suspended Nigerian minister whose job is to help poverty-stricken people has recovered £19 million from more than 50 bank accounts, a financial watchdog has alleged.

Betta Edu, the humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation minister, has been suspended since January over the alleged diversion of £505,000 of public money into a personal bank account.

Nigeria’s economic and financial crimes commission has now said that after six weeks investigating the ministry, it had found “many angles” to examine, the BBC reported.

Ola Olukoyede, the commission chairman, told the latest edition of the agency’s newsletter: “As it is now, we are investigating over 50 bank accounts that we have traced money into.

“That is no child’s play. That’s a big deal.”

President Bola Tinubu in early January ordered “a thorough investigation into all aspects of the financial transaction”, and officials suspended several government aid programmes.

At the time Dr Edu, 37, denied any wrongdoing. Her office said she had approved the transfer into a personal account, which was not in her name, but said it was for the “implementation of grants to vulnerable groups”.

The recovered money had already been transferred to government coffers, Mr Olukoyede said, but warned that the investigation could be lengthy.

He said: “We are exploring so many discoveries that we have stumbled upon in our investigation. 

“If it is about seeing people in jail, well let them wait, everything has a process to follow.”

Nigerians complain that Africa’s biggest economy and most populous country remains plagued by corruption, despite regular government vows to clean it up.

The country in 2023 scored 25 on Transparency International’s corruption perceptions index, where zero is highly corrupt and 100 is very clean.

 

 

Omuddukirize wo bubudamo wano Mubwakabaka bwa Buganda(African refugee) nga ava Congo, ow'emyaka 93 abadde asula n'emisota, ne mubwavu obuyitirivu anunuddwa:

Mulindwa nga atawaana ne refugee we Congo atafuna nga ko buyambi bwonna wano Mubwakabaka bwa Buganda!
 
 
6 November, 2023

 

Bya Tonny Kayemba

 

MZEE Sylvano Ssengendo 93, Omutuuze w'e Kalagala mu ggombolola y'e Nakifuma mu Mukono ng’ ono abadde asula mu nnyumba eri mu mbeera embi era ng’ejudde emisota anunuddwa.

Ssengendo  ennyumba mw'abade asula ebadde yaggwaako oludda era nga yasibako bisanja nga enkuba bw’etonya emugwerako kw’ossa okulwanagana n'emisota egibadde gimuyingirira buli kiseera okuva mu kisiko ekimwetoolodde.

Ono olumu abadde asula njala oluvannyuma lw'okubulwa eky'okulya n’akimutusaako ate nga ataawanyizibwa ekirwadde kya aniya ekyetaaga okulongoosebwa.

Ono nga teyazaala mwana  nga ne baganda be agamba bafiira mu lutalo e Congo gye baali basibuka ye kwe kuwangangukira mu Uganda.

Ekifulukwa kyabadde asulamu kyamuweebwa eyali mukama we wabula eyafa n’amulekawo ng'ono ennaku wabadde agiyonkera yonkera obutaaba okutuusa bwe yadduukiriddwa abazirakisa .

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Mulindwa(kkono) nga ali nomukadde munyumba gyamufunidde okupangisa 

 

 

The Judiciary worker, Mr Kisambira doesn't regret murder-suicide threats as junior workers in Uganda receive petty wages compared to their senior workers:

 

By World Media

Stanley Kisambira (R) talking to the media

Judiciary driver Stanley Kisambira whose audio clips in which he threatened to commit murder-suicide so as to kill a judge and his bodyguard has responded to the permanent secretary who gave him only five days to defend himself.

In a defense written by his lawyers from the Centre for Legal Aid, Kisambira says he doesn't regret his statements and has asked the judiciary PS Dr Pius Bigirimana to cease from further absurdity.

 

Kisambira, a driver of Mbale High court judge Godfrey Namundi can be heard in the audio clips complaining about salary disparities in the judiciary for drivers and expressing his dissatisfaction with earning Shs 200,000 since joining the justice system in 2008.

 

In the same clip, Kisambira is heard saying he is very annoyed, disgusted and can even ram into a stationary vehicle and kill a principal, bodyguard, and himself - three people at once which is more painful compared to a bodyguard who only kills one principal. This was in reference to the recent murder of the state minister of Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations by his own bodyguard Wilson Sabiiti.

 

In a May 16 letter, Bigirimana accused Kisambira of misconduct, saying he would have used the right means as provided for under the public service standing orders as a public servant, other than running to social media to address his grievances.

 

"Inciting violence and threatening to intentionally cause an accident is unprofessional, criminal and punishable in the strongest terms. In addition, uttering false information that you are only paid Shs 200,000 contravenes section F-r of the public service standing orders."

 

As such, Bigirimana asked Kisambira in the letter to explain his act of gross misconduct within five days of receipt of this letter. Failure to do this, Bigirimana threatened to subject Kisambira to disciplinary measures including dismissal from the judiciary.

 

But in response, Kisambira's lawyers say that it was premature for Bigirimana who is also the judiciary's accounting officer to convict him of gross misconduct.

 

"Further to yours HC/P 10701 dated 16 May 2023, prematurely convicting our client of gross misconduct” and threatening to subject him to “further disciplinary measures including dismissal from the judiciary service,” we are instructed to reply as follows," reads the one-paged letter response.

 

The letter adds: "With great respect, your indecorously worded missive was not only premature and misconceived, but has also brought the judiciary service into disrepute."

 

According to Kisambira's lawyers, their client accepts no liability whatsoever for the contents or circulation of the audio clip at issue.

 

"A private communication, it contains protected political opinion and does not reasonably imply what you allege (incitement to violence, threatening accidents, uttering false information, etc).... as you rightly stated, our client did the right thing to express his dissatisfaction." reads the letter.

 

According to the Centre for Legal Aid, Bigirimana's reference to section p–b of the Uganda Public Service Standing Orders 2021 which talks about the procedure for conducting government, is plainly disingenuous and hereby "denounced, with contempt".

 

"You stretched the interpretation of that section by falsely implying that the alleged audio clip was an “official correspondence…which came into the possession of our client in the course of his official duties...Please cease and desist from further absurdity," advises the letter.

 

The lawyers further indicate that Kisambira enjoys what they have described as absolute immunity under the law to freely express his dissatisfaction in a peaceful manner, without fear of retaliation or victimization by his employer or the state.

 

"Take further notice that pursuant to sections 6(1) and 75(g) of the Employment Act 2006, you are barred from targeting an employee's political opinion as the reason for dismissal or imposition of a disciplinary penalty," adds the response.

 

To support their response, the lawyers have quoted several laws that they say Bigirimana as accounting officer of the judiciary should have looked upon before writing to Kisambira. They say the public service regulations on code of conduct further bars him from implementing any disciplinary procedure before the completion of proper investigations.

 

Accordingly, they have asked Bigirimana to terminate what they have described as a travesty of justice, and immediately provide Kisambira a decent package of appropriate interventions to address his dissatisfaction.

 

Following the audios by Kisambira, he was arrested and detained at Kampala Central police station for two days but he was later released on police bond.

 

Sources in police said that he had to be released because it was not right in their view to take him to court simply because he had talked about his grievances and that the best solution is for the judiciary to review his salary.

 

On social media platforms, Kisambira has been hailed as brave for exposing the low salaries of judiciary rank-and-file members. A fundraising campaign has been initiated to support Kisambira in obtaining legal representation and welfare.

 

The campaign encourages donations, emphasizing Kisambira's role as a whistleblower who spoke out about the exploitation of the judiciary. The flyer states, "Kisambira is ready to be punished or sacked but won't be silenced."

Nb

It is a very good debate that is going on especially for the workers' pay in this country just after the recent celebration of the International Workers' Day on 1st May, 2023.

Apart from that African politics of Uganda National Resistance Movement, the workers day celebrations were about a living wage.

 

The Union members and their struggles all over the world have their International Workers Movement. Eight-hour day movement that advocated 8 hours work for any worker. 8 hours recreation. And 8 hours rest.

One cannot see any wrong with this worker discussing about his small wages as compared to the wages of some of the African workers who are very rich multi-millionaires in this country!

 

 

IN UGANDA, THERE SHOULD BE EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH AN AFRICAN SOCIAL WELFARE:

The Inspector General of Government, Ms. Kamya has decided to audit the lifestyle lives of government officials so that she can be able to arrest corrupt officials:

 24 October, 2021

The new Inspector General of Government, Ms Beti Kamya. PHOTO/DAVID LUBOWA

The office of Inspector General of Government (IGG) plans to adopt lifestyle audit to catch corrupt public officials in the next five years. 

IGG Beti Kamya said her vision is to quickly reverse the massive theft in public offices by making citizens know that the cost of corruption is why they cannot have the services they pay for.

“We want to exhibit the faces of corruption in every classroom, living room place of worship, entertainment and every bedroom so that everybody can recognise it,” she said.

Ms Kamya, who was meeting the European Union (EU) delegation led by Ambassador Attilio Pacifici in Kampala on Thursday, cited the case of multi-billion property confiscated by the court from Geoffrey Kazinda and forfeited to government.

Ms Kamya said in the lifestyle audit, the IGG would push for even primary school children to recognise illicit wealth at home and ask their parents whether their salary can afford the new expensive car, luxurious houses, overseas schools and holidays they enjoy abroad.

 

The poor African man with a walking stick

 

“We want teachers in posh schools to give home work to their 10-year-olds in 5th Grade to write down their fathers name, place of work, job title, and car they drive and its cost, a picture of their houses and discuss it openly in class,” she said.

Ms Kamya said she also wants adults and children to start being embarrassed and ashamed of their unexplainable wealth.

“We value our engagement with the Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah and ask for support to rally MPs in the fight and we intend to engage the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice and the Leader of Opposition in Parliament,” she added.

Findings

Ms Kamya said preliminary findings show that Uganda is losing Shs20 trillion annually to corruption, which totals our entire annual revenue collection from taxes.

“It is criminal that poor Ugandan break their backs to work and pay taxes, but very few people take it all for themselves to live luxurious lifestyle and have massive wealth that they cannot consume in their lifetime,” she said.

Ms Patricia Achan, the deputy IGG, said through the Leadership Code Act, they will raise the verification activity, beginning with the staff of the IGG, then verify wealth declaration of all accounting officers.

“The intention is to rescue at least 20 percent of the Shs20 trillion lost per year,” she said.

 “We need to give corruption a face, unmask and expose its face so that everybody can recognise it. It will incite Ugandan to despise it, hate and avoid it,” she said.

Ms Cissy Kagaba, the executive director of Anti-Corruption Coalition Uganda, said adopting the lifestyle audit was a good measure, but the IGG should capture every one and not pick on only a few individuals.

“After the lifestyle auditing, we want to know what next because people often make declarations, but the issue of verification has been a challenge,” she said.

 

About lifestyle audit

Lifestyle audits, also known as lifestyle checks or lifestyle monitoring, are an accountability tool that can be used to detect and prevent corruption. Such audits are conducted when the visible lifestyle or standard of living of an individual appears to exceed their known income level. The detection of such discrepancies can raise the red flag, warranting closer inspection.

In such instances, an assessment of the individual’s income, assets and investments can be undertaken to determine if such seemingly extravagant expenditures could have come from illicit gains. If the audit shows a mismatch between a person’s known income and assets compared to their lifestyle and spending patterns, then there is an increased risk that the person is deriving alternative income from sources that constitute a conflict of interest or illegal activity, including embezzlement and bribery.

As verification often includes assessments of an official’s household, the approach is particularly helpful in detecting whether corrupt proceeds could have been under the names of family members or associates.

Lifestyle audits are best used in conjunction with other anti-corruption measures, including the criminalisation of illicit enrichment, establishing obligations for regular declarations of assets, incomes and interests, as well as unexplained wealth orders.

However, the viability of this approach is contingent on public access to the content of asset and income declarations, and the interest and ability of civil society to engage in lifestyle audits concealed.

Source: Transparency International

NO EDUCATIONAL FEES TO CONTINUE NEW STUDIES

Posted on 19th January, 2015

Shortage of Agricultural extension workers hampers farming in Uganda: 

By SADAT MBOGO & JOSEPH KATO

Posted  Thursday, June 25  2015  
 

  

MPIGI, BUGANDA STATE:

The State Minister for Agriculture, Mr Vincent Ssempijja, has said lack of trained extension workers in agriculture sector is hampering efforts to develop the sector.

The minister explained that farmers are not able to access information in time due to lack of specialists in the field.

According to Mr Ssempijja, a survey conducted in six sub-counties of Kalungu District, showed that most farmers in remote areas cannot apply best practices in agriculture simply because of lack of extension workers, who should dispense the advice.

The minister announced that government would recruit agriculture extension workers at village level to provide advisory services to farmers. Mr Ssempijja made the remarks while addressing agriculture stakeholders in Lukaya Town, Kalungu District on Tuesday.

The meeting was organised by an NGO, Brac, to enhance nutrition projects.

Brac country representative, Mr Muhammad Imran Bhuyiam, said they would promote the production of food crops and increase funding to communities to enhance family nutrition.

Brac is providing capacity to farmers to demand extension services and influence the agricultural policies to benefit the small holder farmers. Mr John Pamba, the company’s senior public relations officer, said they had so far given out loans worth Shs1b to women groups and individuals.

Mr Joseph Oryokot, a senior agriculture specialist at World Bank (WB), promised that WB would extend more funds to farmers through Brac.

“When a pregnant mother is malnourished, even her baby suffers the same. The chances of such a child being successful in future are very minimal. As WB, we are ready to help farmers grow enough food so that malnutrition is eliminated,” Mr Oryokot said.

Mr Florence Namatovu, a farmer, applauded the organisation for enabling her start up a potato vein project.

She said she sells at least 40 bags of potato veins at Shs21,000 each, totalling Shs840,000 per month

Ms Justine Kihahire, the Kamuwunga Women’s Sacco chairperson, said she started with Shs100,000 but now her business is worth Shs1.5m. “I am able to look after the family and pay school fees for them. I have constructed a house and bought a plot of land,” she said.

editorial@ug.nationmedia.com

 
PLE star to repeat P.7 for third time due to no fees
in Uganda:

Publish Date: Jan 18, 2015

PLE star to repeat P.7 for third time due to no fees
Samuel Otobi passed in PLE, but his parents cannot afford to
send him to secondary school.
(Photo credit: Godfrey Ojore) of
newvision news paper in Uganda.
 

By Godfrey Ojore     

 

SOROTI – His teachers are celebrating and are due to hold a party for producing the first Division One pupil in last year’s PLE, but for Samuel Otobi, there’s little reason to rejoice.

 

The 12-year-old was the only pupil among UPE-aided schools in the entire Gweri sub-county to pass in Division One but he says he is “going nowhere”.

 

For him, it will be either to “repeat [Primary Seven] for the third time or to go fishing”.

 

Despite excelling in the 2014 Primary Leaving Examinations, Otobi who attended Opar Primary School in Soroti, knows he will not progress to secondary school because his parents cannot afford to pay school fees for his Senior One studies.

 

“I can force a smile only to satisfy you,” he tells New Vision’s photographer, “but the fact is I am going nowhere.”

FORCED SMILE: Otobi is lifted off his feet by his joyful colleagues after excelling. (Photo credit: Godfrey Ojore)

 

He scored aggregate 10 – the best aggregate is four – which is good enough for Division One.

 

Otobi, who is the seventh born in his family, scored aggregate 19 in the previous PLE (2013) but his parents forced him to repeat because they were unable to raise tuition fees for his secondary school.

 

He bettered that performance in last year’s exams, but Otobi is resigned to his fate of going no further in his academics.

 

His peasant father, John Epiru, says he is blessed to have bright children and says he thanks God for that.

 

“Last year I forced him to repeat because two of his brothers were joining PTC and Agricultural College respectively and the girl he follows was also joining S.1," he said.

 

Otobi and his father Epiru forged smiles on their faces, but behind those smiles, there lies despair. (Photo credit: Godfrey Ojore)

To supplement the family’s low income, Epiru’s wife brews local brew (ajon) for sale. Educating their children however remains a mountain-climb of a challenge.

 

Yet luck has not been friendly to them either.

 

"Last year I registered crop failure because the crops are my source of income towards education of my children. I request any Samaritan to bail me out. If I decide to take him for S.1 then it means one of his brothers has to remain home," Epiru said.

 

On his part, Otobi dreams of becoming a teacher but such an ambition remains just a fantasy and in the absence of help (a Good Samaritan), his dream will sink in the Awoja swamp where he is resorting to fishing from.

 

Stephen Egabu, the school head teacher, said that out of 104 pupils who sat for PLE, it's only Otobi they were sure would excel because he had scored 10 aggregates in the Mock exams.

 

43 of his colleagues passed in Division Two, 33 managed Division Three, 10 got Division Four while the rest failed.

 

Hoima hospital in the Kingdom of Bunyoro in Uganda, treats 90 abortion cases every month:

By  Sandra Janet Birungi

Posted  Saturday, May 30  2015 

 

HOIMA TOWN, UGANDA- 

Seventeen-year-old Ritah (not real name) strained to walk; she was in immense pain and could hardly stand up. The gaping opening on her stomach had just been dressed by a nurse on duty.

She reported to Hoima Regional Referral Hospital in April after she had had an induced abortion.

In an interview with Saturday Monitor, Sister Miriam Akello, the principal nursing officer at the hospital who has been attending to Ritah, said she went to the hospital with a lot of pain and could hardly sit.

“When she learnt she was pregnant, she went together with the father of her baby and they performed an abortion. It was as though she had used a sharp instrument like a pair of scissors to pierce her uterus as a way of killing the baby,” Sister Akello said.

Even after sewing back the damaged uterus, Ritah is still nursing the wound. Sister Akello said there is pus around the uterus that has to be squeezed out often.

Ritah is among the approximately 90 girls that seek post abortion care every month at Hoima hospital. Sister Akello says there are two or three patients that seek post abortion care daily, with the highest number being induced abortions. “In medical terms, abortions mean both induced and non-induced in this case, miscarriages,” she clarifies.

Induced abortions in Uganda are illegal. Chapter XIV of the Penal Code Act criminalises procuring an abortion or aiding in getting one.

“Any person who, with intent to procure the miscarriage of a woman whether she is or is not with child, unlawfully administers to her or causes her to take any poison or other noxious thing, or uses any force of any kind, or uses any other means, commits a felony and is liable to imprisonment for 14 years,” the Act states.

However, hospitals are allowed to offer post abortion care. Ministry of Health says 292,000 abortions are carried out annually in the country translating into 800 per day. With more than a half of them procured using crude methods.

A 2013 report by the Centre for Reproductive Health Uganda attributed the high numbers of unsafe abortions to misconceptions among women that lead them to get stigma, fear and secrecy.

Dr Francis Mulwanyi, the Hoima hospital director, attributed the numbers on unwanted pregnancies, especially since the men or boys responsible deny them.

Dr Charles Kiggundu, the president of the Association of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians of Uganda, called for use of contraceptives.

jbirungi@ug.nationmedia.com

 

 

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