Mutagamba ordered to explain NFA top job
Jul 12, 2011
PARLIAMENT has directed the Minister of Water, Maria Mutagamba, to explain circumstances surrounding the appointment of the National Forestry Authority.
By Joyce Namutebi and Cyprian Musoke
PARLIAMENT has directed the Minister of Water, Maria Mutagamba, to explain circumstances surrounding the appointment of the National Forestry Authority.
Speaker Rebecca Kadaga made the directive following concerns raised by Barnabas Tinkasiimire (NRM) about the process of recruitment.
“Let the minister get the Hansard of today and make a statement to this House,†Kadaga said. Mutagamba was not in the House. In June, Mutagamba stopped the recruitment of an executive director for NFA.
Tinkasiimire wondered why the position was being re-advertised instead of selecting the best from the three candidates who had earlier been shortlisted by a recruitment agency.
He said the job was advertised last year, attracting 11 candidates. He said NFA hired Java Consulting Company to do the recruitment.
Tinkasiimire, the Buyaga MP, said 11 people sat for the written and oral interviews in addition to an aptitude and psycho-social assessment.
He said the NFA board requested three candidates who had been selected, Dr. Robert Nabanyumya, Dr. Arthur Mugisha and Hudson Andrua, to present a picture of what they wanted the authority to be in three years’ time.
Andrua has been the acting executive director for two years until last month when Mutagamba appointed Gershom Onyango as acting executive director.
The MP, however, said that on July 6, another advert ran in one of the dailies advertising the job of the executive director and that the only change on the advert was that instead of Java handling the recruitment, the responsibility was shifted to the human resource manager.
He said on June 14, Mutagamba was quoted in the press saying she had cancelled the appointment of NFA boss and that she was under pressure from State House to appoint former LC5 chairman for Kabarole, Michael Mugisa.
Tinkasiimire said the minister should explain whether the advert required security to vet the candidates.
PARLIAMENT has directed the Minister of Water, Maria Mutagamba, to explain circumstances surrounding the appointment of the National Forestry Authority.
Speaker Rebecca Kadaga made the directive following concerns raised by Barnabas Tinkasiimire (NRM) about the process of recruitment.
“Let the minister get the Hansard of today and make a statement to this House,†Kadaga said. Mutagamba was not in the House. In June, Mutagamba stopped the recruitment of an executive director for NFA.
Tinkasiimire wondered why the position was being re-advertised instead of selecting the best from the three candidates who had earlier been shortlisted by a recruitment agency.
He said the job was advertised last year, attracting 11 candidates. He said NFA hired Java Consulting Company to do the recruitment.
Tinkasiimire, the Buyaga MP, said 11 people sat for the written and oral interviews in addition to an aptitude and psycho-social assessment.
He said the NFA board requested three candidates who had been selected, Dr. Robert Nabanyumya, Dr. Arthur Mugisha and Hudson Andrua, to present a picture of what they wanted the authority to be in three years’ time.
Andrua has been the acting executive director for two years until last month when Mutagamba appointed Gershom Onyango as acting executive director.
The MP, however, said that on July 6, another advert ran in one of the dailies advertising the job of the executive director and that the only change on the advert was that instead of Java handling the recruitment, the responsibility was shifted to the human resource manager.
He said on June 14, Mutagamba was quoted in the press saying she had cancelled the appointment of NFA boss and that she was under pressure from State House to appoint former LC5 chairman for Kabarole, Michael Mugisa.
Tinkasiimire said the minister should explain whether the advert required security to vet the candidates.