{UAH} Government was misled on BCU, says minister - National - monitor.co.ug
|
3:03 AM |
No comments |
Fumbling in the dark...?
Government was misled on BCU, says minister
Kampala- The minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism, Ms Amelia Kyambadde, has admitted that the government was misled to suspend the Bugisu Cooperative Union board.
Ms Kyambadde was speaking at a special consultative meeting at Protea Hotel in Mbale on Friday.
After a presentation by the suspended board chairperson, Mr Nadala Mafabi, minister Kyambadde said the government had been misled by the petitioners to believe that the suspended board had committed gross irregularities in the union.
"We have received more than 30 petitions but we had never listened to the suspended board. This meeting has made me learn a lot, I must confess," added Ms Kyambadde.
She told the farmers that although there had been delays in producing a report on the audit of the union's books of accounts, the government was now ready to hand over BCU back to its owners - the farmers.
She told the farmers to prepare for election of a new board at a special annual general meeting due in the next two months.
"We have realised, as government, that we can't dictate the affairs of the union but can only supervise. That is why we are holding this consultative meeting today to find a way forward for the union. We want this union to work well because it makes great contribution to this country in terms of tax, employment and development," Ms Kyambadde said.
The background
In December 2010, government suspended the BCU board led by Mr Nandala Mafabi, who is Leader of Opposition in Parliament, on claims that his board had falsified the books of accounts.
Government appointed a committee to investigate BCU operations between 2003 and 2010.
However, before the findings of the investigations were released, government set up another commission of inquiry in 2011 to investigate financial wrangles in BCU but no report has been released.
The meeting was attended by members of the suspended BCU board, Resident District Commissioners, district chairpersons, Police, MPs and farmers.
Ms Kyambadde asked the acting board, through the caretaker manager, Mr William Wepukhulu, to account for the three years they have been in charge of BCU.
A report presented by Mr Mafabi bearing accountabilities of the union since they left in 2010, revealed that the suspended board left Shs1.34 billion in Bank of Baroda, $140,000 (about 350 million) in Barclays Bank, Shs560m in Housing Finance Bank and about Shs1 billion worth of coffee stock in the stores. Mr Wepukhulu promised to give the accountability.
0 comments:
Post a Comment