The bank is waiting for instructions from the gender ministry, which is the account holder.
Despite many people claiming that they missed out on the COVID-19 relief cash handout, PostBank managing director Julius Kakeeto has said they are still stuck with sh1.4b.
Kakeeto made the revelation on Friday while appearing before the joint parliamentary committee of public accounts (PAC) and local government investigating the disbursement of COVID-19 cash handout to beneficiaries by the Office of the Prime Minister.
PostBank was the principal remitter of the money to the beneficiaries.
“We have money on the account of the gender ministry totalling sh1.4b out of the sh52.3b wired on their account in our bank. We, however, cannot comment on the matter because we do not know whether it is for their operations or for the beneficiaries,” Kakeeto said.
The two committees were tasked with reviewing the list of beneficiaries of the COVID-19 cash relief fund, which was tabled before Parliament by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja last month.
Under the initiative, the Government has been distributing sh100,000 to selected people classified as vulnerable during the 42-day lockdown.
Probed further by the local government public accounts committee chairperson, Martin Mapenduzi, Kakeeto revealed that over 965 transactions failed.
Asked when the last transaction was made, he said on August 2.
Kakeeto was in the company of the bank’s executive director, Andrew Kabeera.
Asked by Bugiri Municipality MP Asuman Basalirwa the total number beneficiaries, the PostBank MD said they successfully processed 487,307 using MTN and Airtel platforms, but 965 transactions failed.
Basalirwa wondered why the gender minister, Betty Amongi’s report to Parliament did not reflect the sh1.4b balance.
Asked about the fate of the balance on the account since the lockdown has been lifted, Kakeeto and Kabeera said they are waiting for instructions from the ministry, which is the account holder.
Gender ministry speaks out
When contacted, Frank Mugabi, the gender ministry spokesperson, said: “It is true, the ministry still has a balance on its account. We are going to write a report to Cabinet to decide its use.”
Mugabi said the exercise partially closed and the ministry has since forwarded the names of the beneficiaries, totalling 3,258, to city mayors and town clerks to clear the errors.
The committee has since asked the bank to avail Parliament with details of the account and bank statements, including the list of beneficiaries.
