Minister Amongi witch-hunting Byarugaba for refusal to allow shs6bn irregular request from NSSF, says NOTU’s Owere

The chairman general of the National Organisation of Trade Unions (NOTU), Usher Wilson Owere, has accused Gender Minister Betty Amongi of witch-hunting  former NSSF Managing Director, Richard Byarugaba over refusal to allow an “irregular” request for shs6 billion from NSSF.

Amongi recently renewed Patrick Ayota’s tenure as NSSF deputy Managing Director but also appointed him to serve as the Managing Director on a caretaker basis.

However, the renewal of Byarugaba’s contract is still pending.

Addressing journalists on Thursday, NOTU’s Owere alleged that Minister Amongi requested for shs6 billion from NSSF to her office as minister.

“She wrote that letter to the Managing Director .She justified her cause that she was going to account for these funds by ensuring compliance by members . When the MD(Byarugaba) refused to give the money, she conditioned that she would not renew her contract. Upon realizing that her aim was failing, she immediately requested workers centres to petition her office for corruption against the MD,”Owere said.

He alleged that Minister Among went ahead to ensure that Byarugaba is not given another contact, having attained the mandatory retirement age of 60 years.

However, the NOU chairman general accused the minister of double standards in this regard.

“She ensured that the MD is not given another contract on account that he was 60 years but she appointed the deputy MD who was as well 60 years on a five year contract. This same deputy MD was appointed acting Managing Director. One thing we know is that she sees Byarugaba as a threat to her deal. You can’t ask shs6 billion from the hard earned money by the workers.”

Owere insisted that workers cannot just sit and observe these developments unfold without nipping them in the bud.

“We ask the president to take Amongi somewhere else. It is our job as leaders to ensure this fund is saved from vultures. Why doesn’t she ask  for  it  from parliament where money for ministries is appropriated from?”

He noted that as workers’ unions they are taking on Minister Amongi to see that she either resigns or President Museveni drops her as minister.

“Wherever she has been there has been chaos. When she was in KCCA, then in the Ministry of Lands and now in the Ministry of Gender chaos has come to NSSF because of her. Her motive is stealing our money. If president doesn’t remove her, we shall look for other ways to ensure she leaves our ministry.”

Gender responds

Contacted for a comment, the Ministry of Gender spokesperson, Frank Mugabi dismissed the allegations by Owere against the minister as unfounded.

He said the shs6 billion is not for the minister in her individual capacity but for NSSF activities.

“This money is not for the minister but intended for the good of all Ugandans to bring them on board about the NSSF amendments. For example since amendments were made, not many clearly understand what they mean. This is because thus far, we have not had a campaign to popularize what they mean in clear terms for all Ugandans,”Mugabi said.

He explained that the shs6 billion will help popularize the newly made amendments in the NSSF Act.

“In amending the act, there is a clear intention to ensure more people come on board(as NSSF savers) and the target according to  the NSSF strategic plan aligned to Vision 2035 is to bring on board at least 50% of Uganda’s working age population. If you are going to bring this large population on board, you are not going to have a law amended kept in our shelves and things will happen automatically within the categories of the people we are talking about. There is need to create awareness.”

Asked why the minister didn’t request for the money from parliament, Mugabi said the funds are not going to the ministry but rather a joint team carrying out sensitization of members of the public about NSSF amendments.

“The ministry can’t do this role singlehandedly but doing it with NSSF, employers and representatives of the employees. There is what we call a tripartite with government on one side, employee and employer. All the three need to converge to deliberate on these issues and see each of the constituents in their area benefits from the amendments in the law.”

The Gender Ministry spokesperson however said it not true the request for the shs6 billion originated from the ministry and imposed on NSSF, noting that it was done by the budget.

“This money was approved by the board (for NSSF) and only sent to the minister for final approval. The minister made her input on how it should be run meant to ensure the campaign is countrywide and not only centred in Kampala.”