One child, one million, PDM fund scandal rocks Akwon sub-county Baraza

20 August 2026, 10:40 am

By Sarah Ejang

A community baraza in Akwon Sub-County, Amolatar District, has been rocked by allegations of corruption, extortion and sexual exploitation in the disbursement of Parish Development Model (PDM) funds.

The allegations emerged on Wednesday, the second day of community oversight meetings held in Akwon and Agikdak sub-counties. The forums were organized by the district local government to assess service delivery, identify challenges and address community concerns.

The Akwon meeting turned chaotic when several women accused Mr. Moses Opon, the Akwon Parish PDM SACCO loan officer, of demanding UGX 60,000 and sexual favours from female applicants in exchange for processing their PDM funds.

The complainants alleged that, despite paying the money, some of them never received the funds. They further claimed that Opon told them the money was intended for the Amolatar District IT Officer, Mr. Anthony Obura.

Mr. Obura, who attended the baraza, strongly denied the allegations, saying his name had been used without his knowledge.

He announced that PDM computer-related work would henceforth be handled at parish level to reduce opportunities for extortion.

In response, District Chairperson Mr. Ogwal Omara ordered the immediate arrest of Mr. Opon.

He directed the victims to record formal statements with the Officer in Charge of Police and instructed that Opon be detained and compelled to refund all money allegedly taken from residents.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Mr. Geoffrey Vuciri, said the district had allocated UGX 81 million in the 2026/2027 financial year to complete construction of the Akwon Sub-County headquarters.

Residents also raised concerns about poor roads and inadequate access to safe drinking water. District Inspector Mr. Dick Ongom assured them that engineers would soon begin assessing and rehabilitating the affected infrastructure.

At Agikdak Sub-County, the former Sub-County Chief, Mr. Bruno Ocwer, faced scrutiny over alleged misuse of public funds.

Residents questioned why a photocopying machine and biometric attendance equipment had not been procured despite the full allocation of the 2024/2025 budget.

Mr. Ocwer was given 14 days to face a forensic investigation into the allegations.

Residents also demanded the immediate removal of agricultural extension workers, accusing them of failing to provide guidance on modern farming methods.

They questioned why the officers had been recruited when, according to them, they had never received meaningful support.

Awonagiro Health Centre III was also criticized for alleged absenteeism and poor management. Residents claimed that some health workers stopped operating and closed the facility as early as midday.

School headteachers and education officials faced criticism over poor infrastructure, failure to conduct mandatory Parent-Teacher Association meetings and the employment of teachers accused of being unmotivated and underperforming.

As in Akwon, Agikdak residents complained about unsafe water sources and the poor state of roads.

The district leadership reaffirmed its commitment to fighting corruption, improving accountability and strengthening public service delivery.

The community barazas continue on Thursday, 20 August 2026, with the district executive monitoring team scheduled to visit Arwotcek and Abeja sub-counties.