It’s reported that the District Service Commission advertised for 24 jobs slots for Parish Chiefs who are expected to oversee the implementation of the Parish Development Model (PDM). However, the list of successful applicants had 74 recruits, 50 personnel more than what was required.
The Agago District Service
Commission is on spot for reportedly recruiting more employees than the positions
advertised for during the recently concluded job interviews in the district.
It’s reported that the District
Service Commission advertised for 24 jobs slots for Parish Chiefs who are
expected to oversee the implementation of the Parish Development Model (PDM). However,
the list of successful applicants had 74 recruits, 50 positions more than what
was required.
Some of the new recruits have
already been issued with appointment letters and s deployed to respective duty
stations. But, a section of district councillors is now querying the disparities
in advertised positions and the number of ‘successful applicants’ who have been
absorbed into the district service.
Richard Stanley Odong, the councillor representing Wol Sub County questions how the District Service
Commission recruited extra employees yet only a few applicants were required to
fill the available positions. According to Odong, most of the old parishes
already have substantive officers, and posting another person could create an
administrative challenge.
//Cue in; “ingeyo loki…
Cue out…me restructuring.”//
The district initially had 85
parishes before the creation of more administrative units that raised the
number to 117 parishes. But Odong fears that the excess recruitment could be a
ploy to eliminate some of the parish chiefs currently in service.
Cosmas Okello Okidi, the
Councilor representing Lamiyo Sub County says the recruitment has already stirred
a rift in his constituency following the deployment of a newly appointed
officer in Ojuu Parish which already has a substantive Parish Chief. Other areas
with a similar challenge include Lira Palwo, Omot and Lapono Sub Counties and
Patongo and Lira Palwo Town Council, among others.
Okidi says they are demanding a review of the recruitment process to avert any rifts amidst staff and
litigation against the district.
The Agago District Vice Chairperson
Morris Ocana acknowledges the concern but called for calm saying the excess
number will not affect the district in any way.
Ocana says that the district
received an increase in the wage bill to cater for the additional number of
staff while some of the initially serving parish chiefs have been under
appraisal but opted not to heed to the requirement to elevate their academic
qualification to at least diploma level. These, he says, will be relieved of
their duties at the end of this financial year.
//Cue in; “wan watye ki…
Cue out…gi dok gang.”//
Agago District Chief Administrative
Officer Stephen Oloya Gunya says that some of those who emerged successful have
not picked their appointment letters while some have not returned their
acceptance letters, which implies that they are not yet considered employees of
the district.
According to Oloya, the majority of
the successful applicants are also reported to have applied for the same
positions in the neighbouring districts of Pader, Lamwo and Kitgum implying that
the applicants could opt to serve elsewhere leaving more available positions
vacant.
//Cue in; “what I know…
Cue out...we are in.”//
Oloya also says there is an
ongoing verification exercise to ascertain how many successful applicants have
accepted service in the district and the actual number of positions that would
fall vacant for future filling.
Dan Michael Komakech
Freelancer