KAMPALA: In a critical meeting on Friday, Head of Public Service Lucy Nakyobe issued a stern warning to Uganda’s government Accounting Officers, emphasizing the urgent need to combat corruption within public institutions to stem the tide of rising public anger. The meeting at the Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala aimed to communicate and seek feedback on the budget execution circular for FY 2024/25. Attended by officials from the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development, and accounting officers from both central and local governments, the session spotlighted pressing issues in public service accountability.
Nakyobe underscored the pivotal role of Accounting Officers in curbing corruption, stating, “The buck stops with the Accounting Officers.” She urged these officers to increase vigilance over the actions of all subordinate officers, including human resource officers, district service commission members, accountants, and procurement officers. She pointed out that many of these categories of staff involved in corruption fall under the direct supervision of the accounting officers, who are also often implicated.
“Please note that the code of conduct and ethics for Uganda public service sets out standards of behavior for public officers whom you supervise and manage,” Nakyobe reminded the attendees in a statement posted on the Ministry of fiancé X handle. She called on the officers to uphold professionalism and meet the expectations of the civil service, serving the government and the people of Uganda without boundaries.
The Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury (PSST), Ramathan Ggoobi, presented an optimistic economic outlook. He reported that Uganda’s economy grew by six percent in the last financial year, up from an average of 4.1 percent between FY 2019/20 and FY 2022/23, attributing this growth to higher performance in all sectors. “The services sector grew by 6.6 percent, industry by 5.8 percent, and agriculture by 5.1 percent,” Ggoobi noted. He emphasized that the robust economic recovery results from deliberate fiscal and monetary policy management, adding that inflation was contained at 3.9 percent in June 2024.
Ggoobi highlighted that Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflow to Uganda surged to USD 2.9 billion last year, positioning Uganda as the fourth top country in Africa for attracting FDI. “Exports have increased to over USD 7.5 billion, up from USD 4.9 billion in 2023,” he stated, projecting economic growth of 6% and 7% in FY 2024/25, with a potential rise to double digits over the medium term.
Addressing the issue of public expenditure rationalization, Ggoobi mentioned that President Yoweri Museveni has assented to 19 bills aimed at rationalizing specific entities, with Shs 26.9 billion allocated to facilitate this process. He also stressed the importance of eliminating ghost workers from payrolls following a recent audit. “Ensure staff are paid their rightful salaries, pensions, and gratuity, and avoid paying staff who are not officially recruited,” Ggoobi instructed.
Dr. Joseph Muvawala, Executive Director of the National Planning Authority, discussed the NDP IV roadmap and emphasized the need for service delivery standards in every government entity, as well as strengthening planning functions to guide proper budgeting.
Representing Local Government Accounting Officers, Benon Yiga, Town Clerk of Kira Municipal Council, raised issues such as additional wages for new town councils, more funds for road maintenance, and salary enhancements for local government Accounting Officers.