FUE blames poverty on power cuts

Dec 03, 2004

Federation of Uganda Employers (FUE) chairman Aloysious Ssemmanda, has blamed the increasing poverty on loadshedding.

By Jovita Mirembe

Federation of Uganda Employers (FUE) chairman Aloysious Ssemmanda, has blamed the increasing poverty on loadshedding.

Ssemmanda said the biggest number of Uganda’s population depends on jobs which need electricity to be operated.

“Take an example of a barber in a saloon, having a black out means loss of customers hence no money for that day,” Ssemanda said during FUE’s end of year party at Hotel Africana, Kampala on Tuesday.

He appealed to Government to increase electricity supply, saying the problem may result into increased robbery due to unemployment.

In a speech read by the finance state minister, Isaac Musumba, finance minister Gerald Ssendaula, said private sector employees and employers will have the right to choose a pension-provider where they will be paying their mandatory contributions.

Ssendaula however, said the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) will continue playing an important role in the pensions industry.

“The mandatory pension contributions made under the old monopolistic system will continue to be managed by NSSF,” he said.

Ssendaula said NSSF was transferred from the ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development to the finance ministry in order to improve the handling of the workers savings.

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