The National Organization for Trade Unions (NOTU) is dissatisfied about the decision by the Inspector General of Government (IGG) which ordered the former National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Boss, Richard Byarugaba and the Director Finance Stevens Mwanje to refund over Ugx 5Bn lost by the Fund due to the alleged mismanagement.
The NOTU Chairman Usher Wilson Owere said that the decision was inequitable and biased because the said payment was approved by the entire board.
“Very well, this issue came up in a meeting where we were as stakeholders, in which the Minister, Hon. Betty Amongi was the one chairing the meeting. And in that meeting, I remember even the Attorney General was consulted. There was a complaint brought in by the Minister from Parliament that the board of NSSF was only composed of men and women complained them to be included on the board,” Owere said.
Adding, “So there was a provision of bringing in two women and ask two men to voluntarily leave the board. And in that process, the board members were actually asked to do what it takes. Richard’s main issue was to take this matter to the board and the board approved this.”
IGG Beti Kamya Turwomwe, while releasing a report from an investigation into the allegations of corruption and mismanagement at the Fund on Friday, July 30, 2023, said that, the two irregularly authorized payment of Ugx 4.4Bn to staff who resigned under early retirement.
She also noted that, Byarugaba engineered the resignation of two board members, a move that costed the fund about Ugx 600M thus requiring him to refund the money or face imprisonment.
At the beginning of 2023, the IGG decided to carry out investigations into the NSSF Executive Director, Richard Byarugaba’s case of abuse of office as accused by the Minister of Gender, Labor and Social Development, Betty Amongi.
Kamya however, credited Byarugaba for registering tremendous growth during his tenure at NSSF.
