MPs Pin CAA On Board Member's Allowances

The parliamentary standing committee on commissions, statutory authorities and state enterprises has rejected a proposal to write off 18 million shillings that was advanced to former board members of Civil Aviation Authority-CAA. Two of the former board members are Michael Werikhe, the Bungokho south MP and Professor Francis Omaswa, a consultant with World Health Organization amongst others. The money was allegedly advanced to the board members in the 2009/2010 financial year in form of allowances for their participation in CAA activities.

Rama Makuza, the CAA managing director says that none of the board members submitted accountability for the said money. He says that when they sent requests for accountability from the board members, none of them replied because they had not kept receipt of their expenditure. Patrick Oboi, the Amuria county MP and chairperson of the committee expressed shock at the explanation given by the CAA boss and insisted that the monies in question are public funds, which must be accounted for.

 

He tasked CAA to provide proof of their efforts to recover the debt and reason for their failure to recover the money. Crispus Ayena, the Oyam North MP warned that should CAA fail to recover the money, parliament will devise means of recovering it. In 2010/2011 financial year, CAA management requested the board to write off the debts, despite the fact that no attempts were made to recover it.