RUKUNGIRI-There was drama at Buhunga sub county headquarters in Rukungiri district on Wednesday.25.08.2021 during the launch of Village Health Teams (VHTs) allowances disbursement as the target beneficiaries flatly rejected the payment.
The rowdy VTHs shouting at the top of their voice expected to receive 150,000 shillings yet the authorities had delivered 100,000 Les by 50,000 of the expected amount.
According to the sub county chief who doubles as the chairperson of the sub county covid 19 taskforce Kwizeera Garshom, the circular indicates that each village will receive 400,000 shillings 300,000 of which is supposed to go to the VHTs and the remaining 100,000 for the village taskforce committee.
The amounts are allowances for the months of July, August and September.
The wordy exchange developed when the sub county chief Kwizeera told the VHTs that they will be paid only 100,000/= for months of July and August which they have already submitted the reports for.
Some of the VHTs lauded the government through the Ministry of Health for recognizing VHTs as front liners in the fight against COVID-19 but worried why sub count leaders want to misallocate the money allocated to them.
They now want the district leadership to intervene stressing that other sub counties have already received their portion of whole money.
Our news desk contacted the Buhunga Sub County chief who noted that the guidelines clearly indicate that each payment should be a campaigned by accountability thus a reason for his consideration of paying them July and August.
Buhunga Sub County consists of six parishes with seventy seven villages with 154 VHTs. COVID-19 statistics indicate that Buhunga has since June 2021 recorded 100 cases.