Legislators on the committee of commissions, statutory authorities and state enterprises on Wednesday grilled senior officials from Allied Health Professionals Council over failure to realize all the budgeted revenues amounting to sh1.3b.
While meeting the group led by the registrar Patrick Kibirango over the Auditor General’s report for the year ended June 30, 2012, the committee heard that out of the budgeted revenue of sh1.3b, only sh831m was collected leading to a shortfall of sh486m.
A review of the annual reports by the Auditor General, revealed that out of 80 districts that were to be sensitized, only 32 were sensitized and that out of 20 professionals misconduct that were to be investigated, only one was investigated by the council.
It also revealed that out of 12,000 annual practicing licenses that were to be renewed, at least 10,203 were renewed and five out of 20 planned council meetings were held.
“That means your performance represents 37% of the budget. The failure to realize all the budgeted revenues affected the implementations of planned activities that mainly related to the administrative functions. Can you therefore explain this low performance,” the committee chairman and Kumi County MP, Patrick Amuriat, asked.
Kibirango, who acknowledged the underperformance, explained that the council had opened up eleven regional offices to strengthen regular inspection, supervision, sensitization through local media and that it had been in touch with the professionals which will enhance revenue collections.
He said the regional offices were opened in Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale, Fortportal, Hoima, Arua, Gulu, Lira, Soroti, Mbale and Jinja.
“We’ve also delegated supervision of professionals to district health inspectors in all districts including the Kampala Capital City Authority divisions to act on our behalf since they are at grass roots with the professionals,”Kibirango added.
He noted that despite the underperformance, the revenue collection had improved from sh806m in 2011/2012 to sh1.6b in 2012/2013.
Legislators also heard that sh279m remained unutilized by the council although it was noted that the council underperformed on a number of planned activities.
In response, the registrar explained that the funds in question were earmarked to procure vehicles for the regional supervisors officers opened up across the country for inspection and taking services nearer to the professionals.
However, he added, the council had not been able to obtain authority from the office of the premier due to a ban on the procurement of vehicles.
By Umaru Kashaka, The New Vision