Finance ministry to investigate delayed salary payments

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Minister of State for Finance (General Duties), Henry Musasizi has said investigations into non-payment of December salaries for civil servants will be carried out.

He said that while the ministry released the wage component for the last quarter, they continue to get factual complaints of some civil servants who have not yet received their salaries.

“I want to propose that you allow us to find out why people still go unpaid, while on our side, we have released all the wages,” said Musasizi.

He was responding to a matter of national importance that was raised by Sarah Najjuma, Nakaseke District MP during the plenary sitting on Friday, 06 January 2023.

She said that despite the assurances made by the Minister of Finance, Matia Kasaija to Parliament in mid-December to immediately release funds for salary payments, scientists in Nakaseke district have not yet received their December salaries.

“Most of these civil servants have salary loans and they are being charged fines by the banks,” she said.

Kinkinzi West Member of Parliament, James Niringiyimana urged the Ministry of Finance to respect the budget appropriated by Parliament to avoid such cases of delayed salary payments.

During the same plenary sitting, the Ntoroko County Member of Parliament, Ibanda Rwemulikya appealed for immediate medical support to victims of the attacks by suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels.

On 20 December 2022, suspected ADF rebels attacked Bweramule sub county in Ntoroko district, forcing people to flee their homes, and leaving others critically injured.

Rwemulikya said that two people who were critically injured are currently admitted in Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala but cannot meet their medical bills.

“Their families are peasants and we need support from government,” Rwemulikya said.

He also called for supply of relief to the over 9,000 residents who fled their homes.

“Ntoroko is now safe and people have started returning to their homes. Efforts were made to supply relief food but there is need for more because people are still fearing to return,” Rwemulikya said.

The Government Chief Whip, Hamson Obua said that he would engage the area MP in a bid to ensure that medical support is extended to the victims.

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SOURCE: UGANDA PARLIAMENT MEDIA