Parliament establishes an ad hoc committee to investigate the merging of government institutions.
MPs were split on the current procedure, with some calling for a halt, claiming it was not being carried out properly.
Anita Among, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, has formed an Adhoc committee to look into the administration’s plan to combine government departments.
After Minister of Public Service Wilson Muruli Mukasa gave a speech to parliament on the reorganization of government organizations on Thursday, the resolution was passed.
MPs were split on the current procedure, with some calling for a halt, claiming it was not being carried out properly.
Bukanga North MP Nathan Byanyima, Bugweri county MP Abdul Katuntu, Kazo county MP Dan Kimosho, Kwania County MP Tony Ayoo, Kumi Woman MP Apolot Christine, Ntenjeru South MP Patrick Nsanja, Charles Bakabulindi, the workers’ MP, and Anna Adeke Ebaju, Soroti City are among the members of the Adhoc committee.
According to one source, the committee has one month to investigate the rationale for the merger, the cost-benefit analysis of the merger, the merger’s consequences on present workers, and the impact on service delivery.
In 2018, the government proposed merging its departments and agencies for the first time. It was sparked by accusations that several agencies were redundant, underperforming, and duplicating tasks, despite receiving large sums of money to run their operations.
To prevent wasting the country’s limited resources, President Yoweri Museveni ordered a review of the public sector with the goal of eliminating, reducing, and combining government organizations and authorities.
The National Council for Higher Education, the National Curriculum Development Centre, and the Directorate of Industrial Training are among the organizations that have been selected for consolidation.
The Uganda Tourism Board, Uganda Wildlife Authority, Chimpanzee Sanctuary, and Uganda Wildlife Education Centre are among the other organizations that will be brought under the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife, and Antiquities.
The Insurance Regulatory Authority, Uganda Retirement Benefits Authority, and Uganda Microfinance Regulatory Authority will be combined to form specialized directorates under the Bank of Uganda to oversee non-bank financial institutions.
