NSSF probe: Report ready for debate
The chairperson of the probe committee, Mr Mwine Mpaka. PHOTO | DAVID LUBOWA
What you need to know:
- The chairperson of the committee, Mr Mwine Mpaka (Mbarara City South), made the official announcement last Friday on his Twitter account.
Parliament’s Select Committee that probed mismanagement at National Social Security Fund (NSSF) has said the report is ready.
The chairperson of the committee, Mr Mwine Mpaka (Mbarara City South), made the official announcement last Friday on his Twitter account.
“On behalf of the Select committee investigating NSSF, we wish to thank @Anita Among, @Thomas Tayebwa, @ Parliament-Ug & all the stakeholders for the support given during the investigation,” Mr Mpaka tweeted.
“The report is now ready for presentation at an appropriate time decided by the presiding officers,” he added.
Mr Mwine, however, did not avail more details, including what content the report contains since it’s a House rule not to discuss a report until it’s tabled on the floor of Parliament.
The committee began investigations on January 31 following a directive from Speaker Anita Among. They were given 30 days to conduct the probe before reporting its findings and recommendations. The timeline lapses this month.
The probe kicked off with a two-week public hearing before the select committee retreated to an undisclosed location to evaluate evidence gathered and deliberate on the submissions by dozens of witnesses, including the NSSF board and management, Gender minister Betty Amongi, Finance minister Matia Kasaija and former NSSF managing director Richard Byarugaba, among others.
The terms of reference for the investigation had been centered on scrutinising the corporate governance structures at NSSF, circumstances surrounding the appointment of the Fund’s managing director, evaluating the status and safety of the saver’s money, and examining the extent of stakeholder engagement in the decision-making process at the Fund and inquiring into any other relevant matters.
The probe, among other things, extracted shocking revelations about the governance of the workers’ Fund, power fights, political influence, and dubious ways of handling cash. The interfaces saw open disagreements between witnesses and admissions among the witnesses.
Following the conclusion of the probe, Mr Patrick Ayota, the NSSF acting managing director and substantive deputy, said they will now focus on addressing the issues that were highlighted in the just concluded investigation.
