The Commissioner for Physical Education and Sports in the Ministry of Education, Apitta Omara has been arrested by Parliament CID Police on orders of the Parliamentary Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) over mismanagement of Shs 665 million meant for Akii-Bua Memorial Stadium in Lira district.
Omara was Tuesday appearing before COSASE to explain his role in the stagnated work on the stadium whose construction kicked off in 2015.
The query came after Members of Parliament from Lango sub-region petitioned President Yoweri Museveni over the stalled construction of Akii-Bua Memorial Stadium.
MPs on the committee that was Tuesday chaired by the Vice Chairperson, Anita Among (Bukedea woman MP) found out that the proper procedure in procuring the contractor was not followed as provided for in the PPDA Act.
Members also grilled Omara on why he never involved National Council of Sports (NCS) in the process yet NCS has the mandate to develop sports in the country.
In his response, Omara admitted that the National Council of Sports was never involved and regardless, he went ahead to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Lira district local government which has no capacity to handle the work.
He also noted that the money was used to put up a temporary structure which the MPs described as shade including a temporary pit latrine which displeased the Usuk county MP Peter Ogwang.
Ogwang accused Omara of failing the project in the very region he hails from. A frustrated Ogwang then moved a motion for Omara to be handed over to Parliament CID Police for further investigations.
“We have visited and seen the stadium and indeed there is no value for money. Omara should be handed over to the CID who should be interested in getting documentations of the MOU with Lira District Local Government and the Ministry as well as the procurement plan,” Ogwang said.
This prompted the committee Vice Chairperson to direct that Omara hands over all the documents regarding Akii-bua stadium including the land title, progress report, the MOU with Lira district local government among others.
She noted that Omara’s office has rendered the National Council of Sports redundant.
A tune of Shs 1.2bn was put aside for the construction of the stadium in the Budget for the financial year 2015/16.