CSBAG is concerned with the increasing domestic arrears from Shs 4.65 trillion - 7.55 trillion.

Civil society organizations under their umbreall body the civil society Budget advocacy group (CSBAG) are concerned with the increasing domestic arrears.

The 2022 auditor generals report showed that domestics arrears increased from shs 4.65trillion I'm 2021 to shs 7.55trillion in 2022.

Speaking to the press at the CSBAG offices in ntinda  the policy and program Advisor at CSBAG Jeff Wadulo noted that this is a concern yet this financial year 2022/23 only shs 200bn has been budgeted to clear arrears which is not enough to reducing the domestic arrears stock as reported by the office of the auditor general.

He now asks ministry of finance planning and economic development to exercise it's powers through sections 79 and 80 of the public finance management Authority 2015 to penalise and sanctions counting officers who subsequently accumulate arrears in abid to address the continued accumulation of arrears.

He also called upon parliament to implore ministry of public service to fast track the rationalisation of ministries, Departments and agencies to eliminate the high government expenditure on salaries,wages among others.

In 2018 government revealed plans of merging government agencies ,commissions and authorities doing similar work as one of the measures to reduce expenditure but this has not yet been implemented.

Wadulo also showed concern on the rising public debt stock both domestic and eternal which as increased to Shs86.6trillion as of June 2022 from Shs75.1 trillion in June 2021according to the auditor generals report 2022 and is projected to reach 53%  of the GDP by June 2023.

It's against this that they advised government to develop an annual debt borrowing plan that is consistent with preserving debt sustainability  to inform the upcoming financial year budget and adhere to it for improved budget execution.

The deputy executive director of CSBAG Carol Namagembe advised government to to institute a mechanism of generating a national price list from PPDA that can regularly be updated , audited, and enforces by the government periodically as one of the tools to address the unit cost differences within government ministries, departments, and agencies.

Story by: Nabaggala Olivia.