Row hits NSSF over board nominations
Mar 04, 2005
Employers’ and workers’ umbrella organisations have rejected the finance ministry’s directive that they nominate new members to the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) board.
By John Eremu
Employers’ and workers’ umbrella organisations have rejected the finance ministry’s directive that they nominate new members to the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) board.
The Federation of Uganda Employers (FUE) and the National Organisations of Trade Unions (NOTU) have both returned the old members who served under the disbanded board and challenged the finance ministry to justify why they should be dropped.
The NSSF board headed by Geoffrey Onegi Obel was dissolved in September last year amidst allegations of corruption and financial impropriety, particularly in the botched US$255m (about sh400b) Nsimbe estates deal, a joint venture between NSSF and Mugoya Estates limited.
In a January 25 letter to FUE and NOTU, Mwesigwa Rukutana, the state minister for finance, asked each organisation to nominate four members from whom the minister would appoint two to the NSSF board.
But in a February 2 reply to Rukutana, FUE said an executive council meeting had resolved to retain the federation’s chairman, Aloysius Ssemmanda, along with the executive director as their representatives on the NSSF board.
The letter, signed by the FUE vice-chairman, Martin Kasekende, also questioned the minister’s directive in view of an agreement with President Yoweri Museveni that representation on the NSSF board shall continue under a tripartite arrangement with all the parties independently choosing their representatives.
In a meeting at City Annex Hotel on Tuesday, NOTU governing council also rejected the minister’s directive to drop their chairman general, David Nkojjo and secretary general Lyelmoi Ongaba from the NSSF board.
Employers’ and workers’ umbrella organisations have rejected the finance ministry’s directive that they nominate new members to the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) board.
The Federation of Uganda Employers (FUE) and the National Organisations of Trade Unions (NOTU) have both returned the old members who served under the disbanded board and challenged the finance ministry to justify why they should be dropped.
The NSSF board headed by Geoffrey Onegi Obel was dissolved in September last year amidst allegations of corruption and financial impropriety, particularly in the botched US$255m (about sh400b) Nsimbe estates deal, a joint venture between NSSF and Mugoya Estates limited.
In a January 25 letter to FUE and NOTU, Mwesigwa Rukutana, the state minister for finance, asked each organisation to nominate four members from whom the minister would appoint two to the NSSF board.
But in a February 2 reply to Rukutana, FUE said an executive council meeting had resolved to retain the federation’s chairman, Aloysius Ssemmanda, along with the executive director as their representatives on the NSSF board.
The letter, signed by the FUE vice-chairman, Martin Kasekende, also questioned the minister’s directive in view of an agreement with President Yoweri Museveni that representation on the NSSF board shall continue under a tripartite arrangement with all the parties independently choosing their representatives.
In a meeting at City Annex Hotel on Tuesday, NOTU governing council also rejected the minister’s directive to drop their chairman general, David Nkojjo and secretary general Lyelmoi Ongaba from the NSSF board.