Finance Minister apologizes over Ggoobi’s ‘derogatory’ remarks on parliament

The State Minister for Finance, Mr Henry Musasizi on March 28 offered to apologize on behalf of the ministry’s  Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury (PSST),  Mr Ramathan Ggoobi who allegedly undermined the institution of Parliament by saying  the institution has no roles in the budget appropriation process.

During the March 28 plenary sitting in which the government tabled a Shs58 trillion budget for the next financial year, Mr Nathan Byanyima, Bukanga North County legislator questioned the excessive powers of Mr Ggoobi, to the level of disregarding the whole institution of parliament in the budget process.

“When a whole PSST goes to a committee of parliament and says we have no role in appropriation, I don’t see why we are wasting our time going into the budget.. because we have been demeaned to nothing,” Mr Byanyima said.

“I have even seen a paper saying that the Parliamentary budget will be cut by 50 percent, where does such a person get powers?” he added.

The Kalungu MP, Mr Joseph Ssewungu said “the issue of the PSST [Ggoobi] must be handled very seriously” explaining that Mr Ggoobi has on several occasions deliberately declined to turn up when invited by the parliamentary committees.

“We summoned this man [Mr Ggoobi] to the committee of education and failed to appear, the honourable minister of finance had to ring him when we were together but still he refused. Even recently the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) invited him and he refused, he doesn’t respect members of Parliament and committees yet he is the issuing officer of any funds of government,” Mr Ssewungu said.

The Speaker of Parliament, Ms Anita Among sided with the two legislators saying that article 156 of the Constitution and section 14 of the Public Funds Management Act 2015, gives Parliament the mandate to approve the national budget.

“No technical person should come and take over the powers of this parliament,” she said.

In response, Mr Musasizi acknowledged that the budget appropriation powers belong to the Parliament, adding that he is not privy to the remarks made by the ministry’s permanent secretary.

“I know the PSST does not have a chance to speak on this microphone [address plenary] I would like to invite colleagues to disregard what the PSST said….if whatever he said offended a committee of parliament or parliament in general, I would like to apologize on his behalf,” Mr Musasizi said

The Speaker directed Mr Musasizi to caution the PSST against undermining Parliament and Parliamentary committees.

“Even as you apologise, please pass the message to the PSST on what he said, that it is not correct and I will also write to him to respect committees of parliament,” she said.