Members of the Board of National Social Security Fund (NSSF) board led by their Chairman Peter Kimbowa have told Parliament that they rejected a business idea worth UGX6bn that was presented by Minister Betty Amongi.
The latest revelation is a damning inditement on Minister Amongi and a possible case of abuse of office, especially given the fact that the Fund falls right within her docket.
It also comes at a time when the fund is facing increased scrutiny from different institutions of government and the public into its affairs.
Appearing before the Parliament Select committee probing the NSSF impasse, Mr. Kimbowa said that the Minister’s idea was dismissed because it was brought through irregular channels.
Members on the committee chaired by Mbarara municipality MP Mwine Mpaka had asked the NSSF to explain how they came to discuss and appeove the UGX 6 billion shillings budget proposal coming from minister Betty Amongi.
The UGX 6 billion proposal to facilitate strategic areas including mobilization of NSSF membership, supporting the structure of labour officiers across the country to ensure compliancy by all employers was birthed from a managment meeting with the minister for Gender and Labour.
Kimbowa supported by another board Member, Aggrey Kibenge, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour, told the committee that the budget proposal and ideas normally go through the finance committee of the board and later approved by the entire NSSF board.
However this time round, the UGX 6 billion shilling proposal was introduced to the NSSF board through a letter by minister Amongi, which Kimbowa described as irregular.
Kimbowa told the Mpaka-led committee that the board refused to approve the Minister’s proposal of UGX6 billion because; “we had no clear work plan and related activities.”
However, Karim Masaba, MP Industrial Area Mbale muncipalicity quoted the Minister Amongi’s claims on the Parliamentary hansard that the NSSF board had approved the UGX 6 billion budget with clear work plan.
Other members of the board supported Chairman Kimbowa’s testimony and noted that that the UGX6bn did get their approval.
Dr. Silver Mugisha who is also the Managing Director of National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) challenged anyone to come up with a board resolution approving the UGX6 Billion shillings budget and proof of the related workplans for this budget.
The latest revelation is a new twist in the ongoing investigations in alleged abuse of funds by former Managing Director of the Fund Mr. Richard Byarugaba.
Byarugaba is facing scrutiny into how he used some of the saver’s money, amid a struggle to have his contract extended even though he attained the 60 years of retirement.
