Minister Amongi’s Shs6bn Request was Irregular – NSSF Board
The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) board chairperson, Peter Kimbowa, has stated that a Shs6 billion request by the Minister of Gender, Labour, and Social Development, Hon. Betty Amongi, to enable initiatives to increase the NSSF, was improper.
Minister Amongi’s Shs6bn Request was Irregular – NSSF Board
The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) board chairperson, Peter Kimbowa, has stated that a Shs6 billion request by the Minister of Gender, Labour, and Social Development, Hon. Betty Amongi, to enable initiatives to increase the NSSF, was improper.
On Wednesday, February 01, 2023, he revealed it when testifying before the select committee looking into claims of NSSF mismanagement.
According to Kimbowa, the board decided against approving the Shs6 billion since the fund’s governing body is unsure of the sought money’ intended use.
The board asked management to create a thorough work plan, look into how the various tasks would be resourced, and look into the accountability matrix that will be included with this project. This has not occurred, claimed Kimbowa.
Kimbowa’s suggestion, however, ran counter to a declaration the minister made on January 19, 2023, during a plenary session.
In the Parliament Hansard, which was read by Hon. Karim Masaba (Indep., Industrial Division, Mbale City), the minister stated that the NSSF board had approved the request for the Shs6 billion and the work plan.
The committee’s honorable Mwine Mpaka then questioned Kimbowa about the veracity of the minister’s parliamentary remarks.
If the minister lied before Parliament, Mwine Mpaka asked for a yes or no response. He cited the Parliament Hansard as proof.
According to Kimbowa, the lack of a board resolution on the minister’s request is evidence that it was not granted.
When the suggestion was presented to his committee, the NSSF management decided to assess if it matches with the fund’s financial strategy, according to Silver Mugisha, chair of the finance committee for the fund.
When we submitted the budget to the minister for approval, the response was that it was approved, but there was a suggestion that we set aside Shs6 billion for particular operations, according to Mugisha.
Charles Bakkabulindi, a member of parliament for workers, questioned how investment plans are started.
“Does the finance committee sit before the board or the board sits first? Who was sneaking the Shs6 billion for the final approval of the board? I want the board members to be mindful that we have all the figures and the papers,” Bakkabulindi said.
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.
