Lands minister orders transfer of ICT staff
The Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Lands, Ms Dorcus Okalany (pictured), confirmed the directive, saying the transfers are necessary, because some staff have stayed at their current stations for more than three years.
What you need to know:
- Sources revealed to this publication that the message from the political leadership of the ministry was addressed to the Permanent Secretary of the ministry last Thursday
The leadership of the Ministry of Lands has ordered the transfer of all Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) staff in the ministry and all the 22 zonal offices across the country.
Sources revealed to this publication that the message from the political leadership of the ministry was addressed to the Permanent Secretary of the ministry last Thursday.
Sources intimated to Monitor that “as a stop-gap measure, we need to have strong control procedures to minimise the complaints but also enable the purpose of automation and closing backlog files be expedited,” the directive reads.
“Those in Kampala Metropolitan should be moved upcountry and those in upcountry be given an opportunity to serve in these so called busy places.”
The ministry has 22 zonal offices spread across the country, and has been on course to adapt ICT as a means to reduce land-related problems.
Ms Dorcus Okalany, the Permanent Secretary, confirmed the directive, saying the transfers are necessary, because some staff have stayed at their current stations for more than three years.
“We are going to follow the normal processes, when someone issues a directive, you put it in context and do what is right. It is a normal thing, these people have overstayed, let them go work from elsewhere,” she said.
She added: “It has nothing to do with victimisation. Government transfers its generic staff all the time. It gives you enrichment, experience. I have to look at who has stayed here for how long. I am going to schedule it.”
Ms Okalany said complaints are to be expected due to the sensitivity of land matters, adding that issues like fraud and issuance of multiple land titles have nothing to do with the minister’s directive.
Lands minister Judith Nabakooba and other political leaders in the ministry were not available for a comment by press time. However, sources told this publication that the ministers had agreed internally that this should, going forward, be the routine after every six months “for efficiency and effectiveness of the services offered by the ministry.”
