The Opposition in Parliament has commended the African Organization of Public Accounts Committees (AFROPAC) for recently electing Busiro East Member of Parliament, Hon. Medard Lubega Sseggona as Chairperson of the association.
The Chief Opposition Whip, Hon. John Baptist Nambeshe made the statement during a meeting with members of the AFROPAC executive committee who paid a courtesy call on the Office of the Leader of Opposition on Wednesdasy, 05 April 2023.
AFROPAC brings together legislators on accountability committees of African legislatures and the executive committee is currently meeting in Uganda.
The organization promotes professional and technical development for its continental members as well as the independence of Supreme Audit Institutions.
Sseggona who chairs Uganda’s Public Accounts committee – Central Government is the current chairperson of AFROPAC, an association position he assumed in November, 2022.
“I appreciate AFROPAC for giving confidence and trust in Uganda’s Medard Lubega Sseggona by electing him to the office of chairperson. That is big confidence,” Nambeshe said.
Nambeshe also commended the organization for promoting continental exchange on accountability and legislative oversight and sharing experiences amongst members.
The cardinal role of the Office of Leader of the Opposition is to keep government in check and it is upon this background that the official Opposition party appoints leadership of four accountability committees.
These include the Public Accounts Committee- Central Government, Local Government Accounts Committee, Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (Cosase) and Committee on Government Assurances and Implementation.
The accountability committees examine audited accounts, consider recommendations of the Auditor General and also scrutinize and evaluate fulfilment of undertakings given by the President, Vice President, Prime Minister and ministers from time to time.
Ghana’s Dr. David Aduesi, the Vice Chairperson AFROPAC said that their objective is to ensure that public finances are properly accounted for so that the people on the continent can benefit from governments.
“The association is open to all countries on the continent and Uganda is among the active countries of the association. We hope that the chairpersonship of Uganda will lead this organization further…we can do a lot of advocacy in order to ensure that we interrogate the work of the executive in our countries,” said Aduesi.
He added that the role of AFROPAC is not different from that of public accounts committees but their objective is to learn from each other.
The group’s objectives also include the promotion of transparency, accountability and good governance of public resources.
