The Auditor General John Muwanga has faulted government for paying Shs1.4 billion to 1674 staff that are supposed to have retired. The money was paid as salaries and allowances in the month of June 2018, contrary to the Public Standing Orders.
“I noted that 1674 staff from the June 2018 payroll deemed to have reached the mandatory retirement age were still on the active payroll and were paid a total of Shs.1.4 billion during the month of June alone in form of salaries and allowances contrary to Public Standing Orders,” Muwanga said in his report to parliament for the financial year ended June 30, 2018.
No special skills for contract employees
He says the payroll of June 2018 revealed that pensioners in various ministries, departments and agencies were employed on contract terms but there was no evidence indicating that their job positions required special skills. Some of the positions in question include; drivers, plant operators, accountants, administrative assistants, askaris and special constables which positions can easily be filled from the existing job market.
Delays in solving queried files
“There were delays in solving queried files as 931 files were queried and stored at the Ministry of Public Service (MOPS) awaiting collection by the respective vote human resource officers for further action. “I noted that it takes on average between 6 to 12 months for vote Human Resource Officers to pick up the queried files for correction,” he says.
Double pay to pensioners possible
He says some pensioners were assigned multiple gratuity payments both on the payrolls and interface files. In the event that votes do not carry out a review to ascertain the accuracy of the interface files uploaded on the integrated financial management system (IFMS), the possibility of double payments cannot be ruled out.
Excess government expenditure
The official in his report says irregular employment of pensioners results into excess expenditure by government and denies the unemployed access to government jobs. “The system being used to manage the pension was unable to generate automatic notifications of the retirement due dates,” he says.
