Mityana Covid-19 task force faulted for failing to pay maize flour supplier

Mityana,  Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT | The Mityana District Covid-19 task force is on the spot for failing to pay 40 million shillings to a contractor who supplied more than 20 tons of maize flour.

Following the outbreak of COVID-19, the government imposed a lockdown as one of the measures to control the spread of the virus. The lockdown affected families whose livelihood was disrupted. 

This forced the district task force to purchase food to be distributed to the affected families. The district task force contracted Ssingo Maize Millers in Mityana town to process and supply 5 kilograms of maize flour to more than 4,000 families. 

However, the flour has never been distributed and still stuck in the stores. 

Haj Fariid Rakan the Director of Ssingo Maize Millers says that for three months, the task force has failed to pay him the money.

The Mityana LCV Chairperson and member of the task force Joseph Luzige say that the task force received 80 million shillings from the MPs, but they were surprised when the Ministry of Finance told them to return the money. 

Luzige says that they are hopeful that the Ministry of Finance will return the funds to the district to enable them to pay the supplier. 

However, some farmers who supplied maize to Ssingo Maize Millers have protested delayed payment.  

Brian Bataringaya a resident of Mityana town, says that it could be a trick by the leaders who want to distribute the food during the campaigns.

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