600 Works Staff To Lose Employment

By John EremuOVER 600 staff in the Ministry of Works, Housing and Communication face the axe if the proposed new ministry structure is adopted.The proposed structure was unveiled in a workshop yesterday by Mr. Mark Thriscutt, a transport economist from WSP International Consulting, a firm contracted together with PROME Consultants to do a study on the formation of the Uganda Road Agency.According to the indicative figures, 650 will be cut down from the current staffing of 1,452 employees during the first year of implementing the structure and another 250 in the second year.“It is still debatable, but frankly speaking, a lot of staff involved in the road management functions at the headquarters will no longer be needed,” Thriscutt said after presenting the study report outlining the advantages Uganda will reap by establishing an independent road agency.The works, transport and communications minister, John Nasasira, said reform was inevitable and that “every revolution has its casualties.” He, however, consoled those to be affected that most of the road works will be contracted to the private sector which will still need qualified engineers.Members of the parliamentary committee on works, including the chairperson, Mr. Nathan Byanyima (Bukanga), road consultants, contractors and representatives of the donor agencies were among those who attended the workshop at Sheraton Kampala Hotel.Byanyima opposed the creation of the agency. He said the ministry of works had failed to fully carry out its functions due to inadequate funding. “I am yet to be convinced by the advantages of the road agency over the ministry of works,” Byanyima said.“The problem of the ministry of works has been money. So what magic is the road agency going to do without money. I don’t see what miracle they are going to do,” he added.Ends