MPs want resolution to adopt all Auditor General’s reports on public expenditure overturned 

A motion is in the offing to overturn a resolution of Parliament to adopt all the Auditor General’s reports that the 10th Parliament had resolved to adopt without consideration.

Chairpersons of the three accountability committees told the media on Tuesday, 17 August, 2021 at Parliament that that whereas they understood the goodwill of the motion, they believe that it affects the operation of the three committees subsequent to the resolution.

The committees are; Committee on Public Accounts (Central Government), Committee on Public Accounts (Local Government) and Committee on Public Accounts (Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises) better known as COSASE.

In May 2021, the 10th Parliament passed a resolution for the House’s committees on public accounts adopt all reports of the Auditor General on public expenditure that had not been considered by the time with the intention of clearing all backlog of reports.

“We want to file a motion for Parliament to reconsider the earlier resolution to reopen the reports of the auditor for the years affected; in the case of PAC Central, the years 2019-2020,” the Chairperson of the Committee on Public Accounts (Central Government), Hon Medard Sseggona said.

“Accountability is core to the governance of every country and Parliament scrutiny of these reports is central to the fight against corruption in the country,” he added.

Sseggona took note of the fact that the committees would have nothing to do until the end of the year if they do not consider this work.

He added, “We would be setting a precedence of laziness when we resort to such an action because of backlog”.

The Chairperson of the Committee on Public Accounts (Local Government), Hon Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, said the decision being taken by the committees is based on the fact that Ugandans need to know how their resources are being utilised.

COSASE chairperson, Hon Joel Ssenyonyi, added that by adopting the reports without scrutiny would create bigger challenges.

“In the last three years, a lot of money was appropriated by Parliament to various government entities and therefore, the expenditure of these monies requires scrutiny,” he said.