Hoima City Stadium cleaning firm ordered to pay striking casual workers
“The management of the stadium is becoming an embarrassment to the Government because of the prolonged sit-down strike by workers. We have been there more than six times to manage the effects of a bad contract, so let me be on record to blow this whistle because, by Article 203 of the Constitution, I am mandated to provide an oversight role,” Mugabi told the team.
Casual workers at Hoima City Stadium during a meeting with PPDA official at the stadium. (Credit: Peter Abaanabasazi)
HOIMA - Authorities in Hoima have ordered the director of NSL cleaning company to pay over 70 casual workers at Hoima City Stadium who laid down tools over delayed payment of their wages.
NSL Cleaning Company was contracted by the National Council of Sports (NCS) to manage cleaning of Hoima City Stadium at Kyarwiru village in Hoima East Division, Hoima City.
However, the casual workers who were recruited to carry out this task staged a sit-down strike over delayed salaries for the past three months.
The workers told a team of officials from the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) and Hoima city resident commissioner (RCC) Haji Badru Mugabi, who visited the stadium on Thursday, that they have been demanding for their pay in vain.
Brian Okyani, one of the workers, said they are over 70 workers at the stadium and they are demanding three months' pay from the company.
PPDA officials visited the stadium after RCC Mugabi called for their intervention into the mess at the stadium.
Mugabi said the casual workers are always striking, and as a representative of the president, he has attempted several times to engage the directors of the company to settle the issue in vain.
Engineer George Bwanga (R), a bord members of PPDA, RCC Mugabi (second right), and other officials as they addressed the Casual workers. (Credit: Peter Abaanabasazi)
He noted that the contract of NSL Cleaning Company was awarded without following proper procurement guidelines, adding that the company was given a contract crossing into another financial year.
“The management of the stadium is becoming an embarrassment to the Government because of the prolonged sit-down strike by workers. We have been there more than six times to manage the effects of a bad contract, so let me be on record to blow this whistle because, by Article 203 of the Constitution, I am mandated to provide an oversight role,” Mugabi told the team.
Engineer George Bwanga, a board member of PPDA, who represented the board chairperson, Julius Ishingisha, said that guidelines require any company employing more than five people to pay NSSF and give them contracts.
He noted that they will investigate, and if they find that the company has been faulting, it would be punished. "If there is substantial proof, the company can be blacklisted; we have been blacklisting contractors and service providers on less commissions, but these ones are grave,” he said.
When contacted for a comment on phone, Lydia Syson Nayiga, director of NSL Cleaning Company, denied claims that the workers were demanding for three months' pay, saying they only delayed paying for the month of June.
She noted that the company has no active contract, adding that they were waiting for NCS to pay them so that they can also clear workers' wages.
She noted that the company is currently demanding sh21m from NCS.
On the issue of NSFF, Nayiga said the company has already filed contributions to NSFF for the workers, noting that claims of non-payment are aimed at tarnishing the image of the company.