MPs have rejected plans by the government to abolish Uganda National Roads Authority, a move that prompted the Minister of Works and Transport, Gen Katumba Wamala to ask for more time to table fresh amendments to the Uganda National Roads Authority Amendment Bill 2024.
Parliament has been informed that taxpayers would have to dig deeper into their pockets and raise Shs227.24Bn as payment of compensation to all UNRA staff that will be laid off, if the decision to abolish the agency is upheld.
“The Certificate of Financial Implications, says Shs11.562Bn had been mentioned as terminal benefits for UNRA staff, yet from the interactions, it became apparent that UNRA would require Shs227.24 Billion as a severance package for staff. This is a huge cost which would erode the stated savings from the merger. It is also inappropriate to incur this unjustified cost amidst accumulated contractor debts that have to be paid,: said Dan Kimosho , Chairperson, Physical Infrastructure Committee.
The Committee also defended UNRA purported bloated wage bill noting that one of the objectives for the creation of the Authority with attractive remuneration was because the Ministry had failed to attract highly skilled staff due to low salaries.
“The same Ministry cannot at this point be indicating that attractive remuneration offered by UNRA is a problem. Furthermore, the issue of salary disparities is not only limited to UNRA and it cuts across the entire Public Service,” said Dan Kimosho.
The Minister of Works and Transport, Gen Wamala said that the abolishing of UNRA would see government save Shs 39Bn monthly in wages, paid to the current bloated human resource structure of the Authority, and have this money used to construct roads in order to relieve Ugandans of potholes.
However this view was rejected by MPs saying that the government would face a setback.
“government is likely to suffer a setback of delayed project implementation and completion of such important and strategic road infrastructure because of the shocks that come with the rationalization process” said Dan Kimosho .
