Parliament to summon Minister Amongi as NSSF probe starts

A Parliament Select Committee has started its investigation into the corporate governance structures of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF).

The MPs will evaluate the status and safety of the savers’ money and examine the circumstances surrounding the appointment of the Fund’s managing director, Richard Byarugaba.

The decision to conduct a month-long investigation came after Gender Minster Betty Amongi failed to explain to Parliament circumstances under which she reappointed Deputy NSSF Managing Director Patrick Ayota and deferred Byarugaba’s.

Mr Mwine Mpaka (Mbarara City South), the chairman of the Select Committee, said they will among other things, establish whether people’s savings are safe, claims of corruption and any other emerging matters.

Other committee members are Mr Charles Bakkabulindi (Workers), Mr Karim Masaba (Industrial Division, Mbale City), Mr Michael Kakembo (Entebbe Municipality), Ms Fortunate Nantongo (Kyotera District Woman), Ms Laura Kanushu (Persons with Disabilities) and Mr Amos Kankunda (Rwampara County).

Amongi will also explain her controversial letter to NSSF’s board of directors, asking Byarugaba to set aside Shs6b to conduct her projects including activities which were already being carried out by the Fund. 

Amongi will as well explain circumstances under which she asked the NSSF board to inject a staggering Shs40bn of savers’ money into the operations of the Grain Council of Uganda. 

Amongi said the idea came from the Chief Coordinator of Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), Gen Salim Saleh and that it had to be endorsed and executed by NSSF.

“There are some stakeholders that we need to appear at the same time because of the various allegations and want them to respond in the same meetings,” he said,

It remains unclear if Saleh was indeed involved in the deal.

The move, legal experts and a workers’ representative warned, smirks of possible conflict of interest and could lead to protests from workers. 

During a recent plenary session, Amongi tried to distance herself from the letter to the board but the Speaker of Parliament reminded her that the minister had actually given a copy of the same.

MPs also wondered why Amongi had defied the directives from the President and Prime Minister on the appointment of Byarugaba.

Moreso, Parliament will also interrogate claims of corruption and theft of savers’ money by a staff member.

Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa said the report should be ready within one month.