Pay our ex gratia – Zombo councillors roars

After going for months without an ounce of information regarding their ex gratia payment, councilors, LCI and II chairpersons of  Paidha town council in Zombo district have bitterly complained, further demanding a serious explanation from the district leadership over their payment.

The councilors in a press conference on July 9th at Paidha town council boardroom said,  for the fourth quarter of last fiscal year; they have gone without pay expressing  absolute worries.

Agnes Aciro Oroma, the female councilor Nyibola ward who double as the chairperson works and transport committee,  expressed  disappointment  about   the district’s  silence over the matter notwithstanding their repeated calls for  any assurance. 

“Our ex gratia for the  fourth quarter of last fiscal year wasn’t paid and we are really worried. In 2019/20 fiscal year, I was amongst the councilors that missed their payment in the district and up to date, no one  paid our ex gratia. We need the district to explain something to us, it’s the only money we get from the government yet we have so many responsibilities as councillor. the challenge is that the district has gone silent over the matter for a while now” Aciro said.

Meanwhile Lydia Musango, the vice chairperson of Paidha town council appealed to the concerned authorities to address the matter with immediacy adding that ” all our Councilors, chairpersons LCI and LC II are so frustrated”.

According to the Local Government Act, City councilors are entitled to a monthly allowance (ex- gratia) of 250,000 Shillings, while the City Division councilors 175,000 Shillings and 35,000 Shillings for Town Council and Municipal Division Chairpersons.

The deputy speaker of Paidha town council Joyce Kayeny, noted with concerns about the delayed payment and recounted how demoralized the local leaders are currently.

The councilors also alleged that their counterparts from Zombo, Abanga and Paidha Sub-Counties are equally undergoing through the similar fate.But this claim couldn’t be independently  verified by press time.

Relatedly, a handful of councillors who  whispered to this reporter blamed the district for their failure on clarity about the issue that has become a pressing concerns amongst local leaders.

For years, Paidha town council has been rated high over other lower local governments in terms local revenue mobilization by Zombo District district leadership.

What the district is saying.

In response to the concerns raised, the chief administrative officer of Zombo David Lubuka said ”  you look for the town clerk because we met him yesterday and told him the reason, so he knows them, he knows what we told him, him and the treasurer they know, they know very well, I cannot repeat myself” 

However, getting response from Desmond Odota, the town clerk of Paidha town council proved futile by press time.

Zombo Councillors for a council meeting at the district headquarters recently.PHOTO/MIKE RWOTHOMIO