The Uganda Wildlife Authorities under Murchison Falls conservation area on Saturday handed over a Shs425.2 million cheque to six districts neighbouring the park.

Handing over the dummy to the district leaders during the stakeholders' retreat at Para Hotel within the park, the UWA Coordinator, Mr Edgar Bulange, said the fund was UWA's commitment of social responsibility to the communities surrounding the park.

He said the fund was also meant to orient the community on the benefits of the park. Forty five parishes in the six neighbouring districts of Nebbi, Oyam, Amuru, Bullisa, Gulu and Masindi will benefit from the money.

Officials from some of the districts have warned the benefiting parishes against improper usage of the funds.

The Oyam Chairman, Col. Okello Engola Macodwogo, threatened to arrest the parish officials receiving the fund if proper accountability of the Shs58.9 million given to them, is not given to him.

His Amuru counterpart, Mr Atube Omach, said under local government revenue sharing policy, the districts were supposed to get 35 per cent of the fund.

However, Mr Angelo Muswa, the secretary production in Panyimur Sub-county, Nebbi District, maintained that UWA should continue to remit the annual revenue fund directly to the parishes.