Public account Committees to get $70m funding

Public finance management Donor group has earmarked 70 million US dollars to public account committees to ensure speedy and efficient accountability of public funds.

The areas identified include ministry of finance, office of the Auditor General, Ministry of local government and Parliament among others.

This was revealed by the Chair person of public finance donor group at the 3 rd annual conference of the East African association of the public accounts committees.

The conference was held under the theme, ‘Challenges facing contemporary public accounts committees in enhancing accountability in the use of public resources in the East African region.'

It has attracted participants from parliamentary accounts committees in the five East African countries, North and Southern Sudan .

Gloria Sempaka, one of the facilitators who was presenting the donor report, says public Account committees in Uganda are faced with a backlog of Audit general reports dating as far back as 1997.

She says delays in release of Audit reports contribute to delays in the commencement of parliamentary account committees' work.

The World Bank lead financial management specialist, Parminder Brar, says despite slight improvement in Public accountability efficiency in East African countries, a recent study recorded a number of set backs.

The three day conference was officially opened by the speaker of parliament, Edward Kiwanuka Sekandi.