KAMPALA – Mbale City Industrial Division Member of Parliament, Hon. Karim Masaba, has questioned the credibility of financial records presented before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), after an accounting officer appeared to dispute information contained in accounts that had already been signed by the officer.
Masaba raised the concern during a PAC session as legislators scrutinised financial statements and questioned the management and utilisation of public funds.
He expressed concern that the accounting officer was disputing information contained in the financial statements, despite having signed the accounts, arguing that the contradiction raised questions about the authenticity and reliability of the records being examined.
“Why? Simply because these accounts were signed by the accounting officer. The very information that we are actually sharing — and that is accurate as per the financials — is being disputed by him,” Masaba observed.
He questioned whether the committee could continue examining accounts that the accounting officer appeared to be disowning, saying the development undermined the work legislators had undertaken during the scrutiny exercise.
The legislator also called for greater transparency regarding services for which patients are charged, asking the accounting officer to provide a comprehensive list of chargeable services and their respective rates, alongside the supporting documents.
Masaba warned that members of the public could be exploited through charges that might contradict government policy, urging officials to make the information available to enable the committee establish whether the charges were justified.
During the same session, Buliisa County MP Hon. Alanat Gonza also questioned the circumstances surrounding the return of Shs569 million, including Shs562 million reportedly relating to unspent wage allocations.
Gonza sought clarification on who had warranted the funds under the cash budgeting system, particularly when the institution had reportedly terminated some employment contracts and did not require the entire allocation.
In response, an accounting officer explained that the bulk of the returned funds was wage-related and that delays in recruitment, which depended on the Public Service Commission, had affected the institution’s ability to absorb the allocated funds. The official cited an additional Shs2.5 billion budget allocation whose recruitment process was still ongoing, warning that funds meant for positions that remained unfilled could eventually be returned to the Treasury.
Masaba’s intervention highlighted the importance of accurate financial reporting, transparency in public service charges and accountability in the management of government resources.
