Budget committee: No money for Uganda Airlines until board in place

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Budget Committee of parliament will not allocate operational funds to Uganda National Airlines Company Limited until a substantive board is put in place.

Government is seeking Shillings 59.2 billion for the operations of the national carrier for the 2019/2020 financial year. The money is required for among other things salaries of the crew, fuel, passenger handling, advertising and navigation.

While approving the Shillings 280 billion supplementary budget for the purchase of the two Bombardier planes from Canada last month, parliament tasked government to put in a place a substantive Board of Directors for Uganda National Airlines Company Limited.

At the time, MPs agreed that the Ministries of Works and Finance, which own shares in the company, appoint a substantive and competent board and submit the names to the sector committee for scrutiny.

To date, according tot he parliament committee, nothing has been done.

On Wednesday, the Budget Committee Chairperson, Amos Lugoolobi, said no money will be allocated to Uganda National Airlines without a substantive Board of Directors.

He disclosed this while Robert Ssekitoleko, the Chairperson of the Physical Infrastructure Committee presented their report on the Works and Transport Ministry budget for the 2019/2020 financial year.

Lugoolobi noted that Parliament directed that the Board must be instituted by April 30th, 2019 as a prerequisite for allocating funds for its operations. He said that since no substantive board has been set up, the committee will allocate funds to the national airlines.

However, Sekitoleko said his Committee is optimistic that the works ministry will appoint a board before the end of the budgeting process. Lugoloobi rejected his explanation, saying they can’t ignore the parliamentary directive.

The Moroto County MP, Samuel Okwir and Kotido woman MP, Margaret Aleper supported the Budget Committee decision to withhold funding to the national airlines.

The Nyabushozi County MP, Fred Mwesigye wondered how the airlines will operate without funds. He was quickly shut down by Lugoloobi and the West Budama North MP, Okoth Othieno.

The committee also rejected the recommendation of the Physical Infrastructure Committee that Shillings 37 billion is allocated to Uganda National Airlines for ground handling services for a period of six months.

The Physical Infrastructure Committee chairperson, Ssekitoleko has explained that the airlines had informed the committee that the airline doesn’t have capacity for self-handling and will thereby contract one of the three companies operational at Entebbe International airport including National Aviation Services (NAS), DAS Handling Ltd and Fresh Handling Services.

However, Lugoloobi said the management for the airlines must first be put in place before funds for any activities and its operations are appropriated.

Kafeero conceded and agreed with the budget committee decision on Uganda National Airlines, noting that the physical infrastructure committee had also recommended that no funds should be allocated for the operations and activities of the national airlines without a board.

The Butambala County MP, Muwanga Kivumbi asked the two committees to ensure that the airline provides a copy of the contract with the ground handling companies to avoid any future compensation claims for loss of business.

Lugoolobi said the committee will look at the contract for ground handling but it is parliament that will have the final say on whether or not the airline will get the needed funds.

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