PSST Ggoobi, PS Public Service Musingwire and DST Ocailap at the Budget review retreat FY 2024/25

Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury (PSST), Ggoobi and his technical team met the Permanent Secretary(PS) Ministry of Public Service, Catherine Musingwire and her team as well as team from Ministry of Local Government led by Commissioner Cyprian Chillanyang to discuss the findings of the recent payroll audit by the Auditor General on the wage bill .

This was at the retreat by Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development on the Budget for FY 2024/25 aimed at re-prioritizing expenditure allocations to ensure all critical interventions of government under the 20 NDP III programmes  are catered for.

This retreat is in line with the fiscal consolidation agenda which entails stepping up domestic revenue mobilization, continued rationalization for improved allocative efficiency and controlled borrowing to ensure long term debt sustainability.

Government of Uganda adopted a strategy to grow the economy by ten-fold over the medium term effective FY 2024/25.

While meeting the PS Ministry of Public Service regarding the payroll audit the PSST said all accounting Officers, Human Resource Officers and Finance Officers responsible for the mess in the payroll will be sanctioned.

Some of the anomalies found by the Auditor General in his audit include: Ghost employees on payroll, forged appointments and those confirmed dead, absconded or retired but still on payroll by time of validation.

The Ministry of Public Service has recommended deletion of the above category from the payroll of February,2024 among other measures to bring the culprits to book. It was also noted that 22 Ministries, departments and agencies as well as 19 Local governments diverted funds from the wage budget to pay for other activities.

The PSST said ministry of finance is determined to get rid of wage shortfalls and related supplementaries.