EASTERN PROVINCE

NGOMA — Cell and Village leaders in the Ngoma district have been implicated in the misappropriation of millions of funds meant for the health insurance scheme.

Addressing a security meeting last Friday, Supt. Emmanuel Karasi, the District Police Commander said recent investigations by the district revealed that about Rwf25 million meant for the 2008 health insurance in Ngoma district was missing.

The security meeting held at the district headquarters attracted Sector Executive Secretaries, area security personnel and other district leaders.

Karasi blamed the mismanagement on negligence by Sector leaders who reportedly failed to monitor the collection of the money by the cells and village leaders.

A join audit conducted between October 29 and November 24 2008, by the Ministry of Health, Ngoma district police, the health insurance office at the district and the district internal auditor had, revealed that over Rwf50 m was missing.

At the meeting however, Karasi insisted that the money could be Rwf25 m or even less.

"You should have followed up the whole process as Sector leaders,” Karasi said, cautioning the leaders against continued negligence of their duties.

Lt. Col. Emmanuel Karemera, of the Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF), urged the leaders to always arrest corrupt cell and village leaders.

"They accepted to be elected by their people to work as volunteers and they knew their entailed duties. They should therefore resign if they feel they can not handle their offices,” he said.

He observed that residents have not embraced some government programmes, which he blamed on the leaders.

Karemera asked leaders to work closely with the masses and involve them in the government’s strategy to achieve Vision 2020 goals.

Meanwhile, sources at the district say there are no proper records to show how much health insurance money was being collected each day.

The same meeting highlighted a decline in crime in the area.
Only one case of excessive drinking was registered compared to over 20 cases reported in October.

There were also about three defilement cases registered. Other cases registered include marijuana and crude waragi smuggling with most of the dealers arrested.

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