In April 2025, the Ombudsman Commission registered an own-initiative investigation into an alleged unlawful decision by a District Development Authority to process “Token of Appreciation Payments” to outgoing Presidents and a Town Mayor on the eve of the Local-Level Government (LLG) Elections. The Terms of Reference were subsequently extended to include the other three District Development Authorities (DDAs) in that particular province.
The Commission immediately commenced inquiries with the respective DDAs and established that special DDA Board Meetings had been convened, and resolutions passed, to authorise “Tokens of Appreciation” for the outgoing Board Members. These “Tokens of Appreciation” payments were intended to be sourced from the 2025 District Services Improvement Program (DSIP) Recurrent Budget.
The Commission contacted the Chief Executive Officers of the respective DDA Boards and advised against making these payments. The Commission further advised the DDA Boards that such payments constitute misapplication of DSIP funds and may be in breach of the Public Finance Management Act 1995, as well as the PSIP, DSIP, LLGSIP, and WSIP Administrative Guidelines and Financial Instructions.
The Commission advised the four DDAs that these funds are intended for development purposes and must not be misapplied. The Commission’s intervention effectively stopped these payments from being processed.