The Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah has directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies to refrain from secretly financing the activities of Parliament Committees in order to avoid undermining the independence and authority of the August house.
The Speaker noted during his communication to the House sitting on Tuesday that it has come to his notice that several government bodies and entities are financing the works of Parliament committees which is uncalled for.
“It has come to my attention that some Ministries, Agencies and Departments of government are making arrangements with our own committees and financing them to do certain work. If you want your mandate, authority and independence eroded, let somebody else other than Parliament finance your activities,” Oulanyah said.
Oulanyah expressed fear that in case other agencies and departments begin funding Parliament activities, the institution may begin to receive instructions from those agencies which puts the August house at stake.
“He who pays the piper calls the tune; I am calling upon all Ministries, agencies and departments to cease from this dealing because it eventually ends up undermining the independence of the institution,” Oulanyah ordered.
Oulanyah advised all the Parliament Committees which need special funding for their day today activities to reach the responsible offices in parliament so that they can be given funds instead of sourcing funds from other government agencies.
Oulanyah has also directed the Clerk to Parliament to write to all Committee Clerks and to the Chairperson and Deputy chairperson of the committee to take note of the directive of not allowing any special funding from any government agency.
The former Leader of Opposition who is also Gulu City Woman MP Betty Aol Ochan told the Speaker that this can only be achieved if all meetings concerning the different agencies are held at the premises of parliament instead of going to the hotels and to the agencies’ board rooms.