Kampala — Education minister Geraldine Namirembe Bitamazire has called for an investigation into claims of ghost teachers in Gulu district. The probe follows reports that the Amuru LC5 vice-chairperson, Justine Lungajul Oloya, has been receiving salary as a ghost teacher of Ongako Secondary School in Gulu.

"I have directed the commissioner of secondary education to investigate the case and take appropriate action," Bitamazire said in a letter of February 1 to the Gulu resident district commissioner, Walter Ochora.

The letter prompted Oloya to deposit sh6.7m in the Amuru district account at Stanbic Bank. Ochora had written to the ministry in January complaining about ghost teachers in Gulu.

He directed that the money which Oloya deposited in the Amuru account be transferred to the Ministry of Finance. Ochora also asked the regional CID officer to study the bank slip that Oloya used and charge him with abuse of office and causing financial loss to the district.

The district accountant general, G.O.L Obwoch, said Oloya had been deleted from the Government payroll. He last received salary in July 2009.

Obwoch called on the Amuru chief administrative officer to ensure that money paid to Oloya is recovered and returned to the Government.