KAMPALA – The Public Accounts Committee of Parliament has directed the executive director of Mbale regional referral hospital director, Dr. Emmanuel Tugaineyo to refund 2.3 million shillings lost in overpayment.
While using the auditor general’s report for the financial year 2020-2021, the committee found out that three Mbale hospital staff by names of Kayendeke Edith, Achen Rose and Esimu Joseph were overpaid by the hospital to a tune amounting to 2.3 million shillings altogether.
When asked, Tugaineyo and the principal human resource officer Waiswa Lilian denied having made any overpayment of any staff.
They told the committee that what the auditor general called overpayment for Kayendeke Edith and Achen Rose was their money for the missed salary for the month of April in the previous year and for Esimu Joseph it was his settlement allowance.
MPs disagreed with them noting that their explanation was not sufficient and that prompted the chairperson of the committee who also doubles has Busiro East legislator Medard Lubega Ssegona to order the ED to refund that money and also ordered him to bring evidence to the committee in two weeks showing that he paid that money back.
Mbale referral hospital officials have also been grilled by the committee over double payments they made to Nakalanzi Polly and Okwir Belly Sam amounting to 51.8 million shillings.
On over/underpayment of salary, Tugaineyo stated that it came about as a result of missed salary and correction of salary instituted. The underpayments were due to system errors and have since been verified and paid already.