Local govt study allowances no more
May 05, 2009
THE Ministry of Local Government has scrapped allowances for district staff it sponsors for postgraduate programmes at higher institutions of learning.
By John Eremu
and Conan Businge
THE Ministry of Local Government has scrapped allowances for district staff it sponsors for postgraduate programmes at higher institutions of learning.
The permanent secretary, Tom Matte, said the shift in policy was aimed at enabling more staff to access scholarships for the diploma programmes, which are a prerequisite for promotion in the civil service.
The ministry has been paying sh2.7m tuition fees per student to the Uganda Management Institute (UMI) and sh1.75m in allowances per student for meals,
accommodation and research.
But Matte said the Government shall, with immediate effect, only meet the cost for tuition, while the local governments or the students shall pay for accommodation, research and upkeep.
“We are under a lot of pressure to build capacity for the local government staff,†he said. “We have over 1,000 local government administrative units, including sub-counties. The staff must undergo this training before they can be promoted.â€
Matte said with cost-sharing, the ministry shall be able to send at least 150 staff for the crucial programmes, up from the current 100, a year.
The upgrading staff were from the administrative and procurement departments of the district local governments and urban councils. They include the assistant chief administrative officers and assistant town clerks.
Meanwhile, the 100 local government staff who concluded their courses at the UMI last week have left without getting their allowances after weeks of protests and appeals, including to the parliamentary committee on local governments.
The students accused the ministry staff of diverting the allowances for personal use.
But Matte said the delay was caused by bureaucratic process. “The donors wanted audited accountability for the first semester disbursement.â€
Matte, however, disclosed that the audit was completed two weeks ago, adding that the money had been sent to the students’ accounts.
and Conan Businge
THE Ministry of Local Government has scrapped allowances for district staff it sponsors for postgraduate programmes at higher institutions of learning.
The permanent secretary, Tom Matte, said the shift in policy was aimed at enabling more staff to access scholarships for the diploma programmes, which are a prerequisite for promotion in the civil service.
The ministry has been paying sh2.7m tuition fees per student to the Uganda Management Institute (UMI) and sh1.75m in allowances per student for meals,
accommodation and research.
But Matte said the Government shall, with immediate effect, only meet the cost for tuition, while the local governments or the students shall pay for accommodation, research and upkeep.
“We are under a lot of pressure to build capacity for the local government staff,†he said. “We have over 1,000 local government administrative units, including sub-counties. The staff must undergo this training before they can be promoted.â€
Matte said with cost-sharing, the ministry shall be able to send at least 150 staff for the crucial programmes, up from the current 100, a year.
The upgrading staff were from the administrative and procurement departments of the district local governments and urban councils. They include the assistant chief administrative officers and assistant town clerks.
Meanwhile, the 100 local government staff who concluded their courses at the UMI last week have left without getting their allowances after weeks of protests and appeals, including to the parliamentary committee on local governments.
The students accused the ministry staff of diverting the allowances for personal use.
But Matte said the delay was caused by bureaucratic process. “The donors wanted audited accountability for the first semester disbursement.â€
Matte, however, disclosed that the audit was completed two weeks ago, adding that the money had been sent to the students’ accounts.