Dr. Patricia Achan Okiria, the Deputy IGGThe Deputy Inspector General of Government (IGG), Dr. Patricia Achan Okiria, has warned Ministry of Public Service officials to discard the notion that accountability is optional, stressing that it is a constitutional and ethical duty.Dr. Okiria made the remarks while delivering a keynote address on Transparency and Integrity at the Ministry’s Annual Staff Baraza held at the National Records and Archives Centre in Kampala.“If the citizens whose resources I am managing were standing beside me, would I be comfortable explaining this decision, this expenditure, this appointment, this procurement process or this use of public property to them? That is the spirit of public accountability,” she challenged officials.She said public accountability rests on three pillars – the decisions officials make, the authority they exercise, and how they use public resources.“Accountability must be the engine of public service,” Dr. Okiria said, urging staff to make it their guiding principle in order to strengthen public trust and deliver citizen-centered services.The Deputy IGG said government is felt by citizens through services, not policy documents.“Citizens experience Government primarily through the services they receive. They experience Government when medicines are available at health centres, when skilled personnel are present, when children receive quality education, when roads are maintained, when applications are processed efficiently, and when public officials treat them with dignity and fairness,” she said.She warned that every interaction with a citizen is an opportunity to either build or break public confidence in the state.“Public resources must be used strictly for their intended purposes. They must never be diverted for personal benefit or for any other unauthorised purpose. Government funds should be spent only for authorised purposes, properly supported by documentation, accurately recorded and transparently accounted for,” Dr. Okiria emphasized.She reminded officials that Uganda’s development frameworks identify good governance, accountability and control of corruption as essential drivers of socio-economic transformation.“The reflections from this engagement should go beyond this Baraza. They should inform how each of us exercises authority, manages public resources, interacts with citizens and delivers results,” she said.Dr. Okiria’s address comes at a time when Government, through anti-corruption agencies like the Inspectorate of Government, is intensifying efforts to protect public resources and improve service delivery. She warned that accountability is non-negotiable and the law will be applied firmly against those found culpable.The Minister for Public Service, Gen. Katumba Wamala, also called for teamwork and professionalism.“Success comes when all of us work together. So, when we deliver results, we win as one team. We must also remain professional at all times, and also respect each other no matter one’s rank,” Gen. Wamala said.The Baraza was also attended by State Minister for Public Service, Hon. Lydia Wanyoto, former Minister for Public Service, Hon. Muruli Mukasa, and State Minister for Bunyoro Affairs, Hon. Grace Mary Mugasa, who formerly served as State Minister for Public Service.The post Every Shilling Must Be Accounted For: IGG Office Cracks Whip on Public Service Waste appeared first on Business Focus.