NSSF PROBE: MPs Demand Immediate Resignation of Minister Among

By Our Reporter

KAMPALA, Uganda [SHIFT MEDIA] Parliament has directed the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Hon. Betty Amongi to resign with immediate effect on account of abuse of office.

The Lawmakers adopted a recommendation by the House’s select committee, directing as thus.

The select committee, chaired by Mbarara South Division Member of Parliament, Hon. Mwine Mpaka investigated the alleged mismanagement of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) and found that the minister’s actions in directing Shs6 billion to be availed to her ministry were irregular.
The report, presented during plenary sitting on Wednesday, 01 March 2023 added that President Museveni should take keen interest in the conduct of the minister.

The report was adopted on Thursday, 09 March 2023 during plenary sitting chaired by Speaker, Anita Among.

The MPs said that the minister’s actions contravened the NSSF Act.  But the Oyam South Legislator has vowed not to resign noting that she is the whistle blower.

Hon. Aisha Kabanda (NUP, Butambala District) wondered how the minister was going to account for the Shs6 billion and yet according to the NSSF Act, she supervises the fund.
“Were you going to account for the Shs6 billion with your juniors,” asked Kabanda.

Hon. Theodore Ssekikubo (NRM, Lwemiyaga County) said that Parliament’s task is to prove beyond reasonable doubt if the minister was right or wrong to request for the money.
“Parliament must raise to the occasion. The minister said she performed her statutory duties in approving the budget but in her letter, she said that she received a budget proposal of Shs15 billion, and she said that that out of Shs15 billion, can I have Shs6 billion for expanding the fund,” said Ssekikubo.

Dokolo District Woman Representative, Hon. Cecilia Ogwal urged her counterparts to make a decision based on the Public Finance Management Act which clearly stipulates budget initiation and implementation.
“There is a difference between originating and implementation. We should be clear on who initiates the budget so that nobody is seen as being victimized,” Cecilia Ogwal said.

The Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Mathias Mpuuga said that the minister does not have the power to appropriate funds.
“She is conveniently expanding the interpretation of the NSSF Act. Why did you think you can borrow the word appropriation to use the money for government work? NSSF funds are for private people who are saving their little money for a rainy day,” said Mpuuga.

He added that, ’we must clean this house [NSSF], we must give assurance and hope to the citizens. This entity has become over the years some people’s daily income’.
The Minister of State for Finance, Planning and Economic Development (General Duties), Hon. Henry Musasizi said that the request of the Shs6 billion was not approved by the Ministry of Finance.

“It came to our attention and we notified the minister [Amongi]. We held a meeting with her, gave her our opinion and we were against her request but she went ahead with her request,” Musasizi said.

Amongi however, said that she cannot resign based on a falsehood by the report and she maintained that the request of Shs6 billion was within the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Act.
“I have been condemned without evidence, facts and reference to points of the law. Infact I am being victimized yet I am the whistle-blower,” she said.

Amongi explained that her letter directing the appropriation of Shs6 billion was in exercise of ministerial power under Section 29 of the NSSF Act which gives her power to amend the budget.
“Activities of the Shs6 billion do not fall under Ministry of Gender and I want to state that the new law introduced mid-term access and the law permits me to issue regulations for voluntary savings. I am required to carry out stakeholder engagements and I cannot do that alone,” she added.

Mwine Mpaka said that every recommendation in the report is backed by evidence.
“We believe we did this job to the best of our knowledge, and we can defend all the recommendations,” said Mwine Mpaka.

NSSF Board Should be Dissolved.

MPs further agreed that the NSSF Board should be dissolved as recommended by the committee.
The House further adopted a recommendation that 24 board members who illegally received the 10 per cent contribution from NSSF should refund the money within seven working days after adoption of the report or face prosecution.

On 19 January 2023, the House resolved to institute a committee to inquire into the operations of NSSF, following reports of corruption and mismanagement of the Shs17.9 trillion fund.

Workers MP Disagree

Th Workers’ Members of Parliament have disagreed with a recommendation directing them to refund the 10 per cent contributions from the National Social Fund (NSSF) saying that they were not given a fair hearing.

Last week, the Chairperson of the select committee that investigated the alleged mismanagement of NSSF, Hon. Mwine Mpaka presented a report that recommended that the MPs who were part of the 24 board members of the fund should refund the money within seven working days upon adoption of the report or face prosecution.

According to the report, the fund illegally contributed Shs12. 4 million for Hon. Agnes Kunihira, while Shs37 million was paid to Hon. Christopher Werikhe and Hon. Stephen Mugole received Shs32.7 million during their tenure as board members in 2019.
“There exists no employee-employer relationship between the board members and NSSF to warrant such contributions. The committee further notes that such contributions are not provided as a benefit a member of the board is entitled to, under the Board Charter,” the report read in part.

The Workers Representatives however, presented their responses during the plenary sitting on Tuesday, 07 March 2023 and demanded that their names be expunged from the report.
Hon. Mugole said that he was condemned, unheard by the committee and was not invited to substantiate allegations of illegally receiving 10 per cent contributions from NSSF.

“Had the committee invited me as part of according to me a fair hearing, I would have been able to state that I was appointed to the Board of NSSF by the finance minister in 2019. The same appointment stated the remunerations as per the board’s terms and engagement,” he said.

He added that in 2011, the board introduced the 10 per cent contribution for all the members who were not public servants and were not above 55 years of age.
“The recommendation that all board members who received and continue to receive the 10 per cent is an illegality was arrived at in contravention of rules of natural justice. Had the committee accorded me that opportunity, they would not have made such a recommendation,” said Mugole.

He said that the recommendation if adopted is susceptible to being challenged before courts of law on grounds of not according to him a fair hearing.

Hon. Werikhe said that he received an appointment letter from the Minister of Finance on 04 February 2019 that clearly stated the remuneration of the board members.
“I missed the opportunity to be heard, so I was not able to raise some of the issues,” he said.

Kunihira appealed to MPs to accord them a fair judgement.

Some of the legislators agreed that the accused should have been accorded a fair hearing while others said that the committee’s recommendation should be adopted.