Immigration suspends meal allowances to its staff

Nov 17, 2020

GOVERNMENT | EXPENDITURE |

The Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC) says it is suspending a number of allowances, including meals, to its staff.

DCIC says the measure is due to constraints it is facing resulting from a financial squeeze that is emanating from cuts on its operating budget.

DCIC made the communication in an internal memo circulated to staff through all its commissioners on November 13.

"Following the current economic hardships and underfunding of our budget and increased unpaid bills to service providers, this is to suspend serving lunch with all departments," the memo said.

DCIC, however, offered hope that the measure was temporary and that adjustments would be made 'as and when funds are made available'.

The memo added that the measure would exempt its detention centre, however.

The development comes a week after the Government announced that it was suspending non-priority expenditures.

In the announcement made through the Accountant General Lawrence Ssemakula, all accounting officers of government ministries and departments were directed to defer payments for the month of November and December, until further notice from the Secretary to the Treasury.

In an internal memo, dated November 11, Ssemakula said only payment for the five priority sectors should be made for the months of November and December.

He named the priority sectors as the State House, Defence ministry, and the Electoral Commission.

Ssemakula also directed that only payments for wages, salaries, pension, and gratuity should also be made during the two months.

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