Government Agencies Warned Against Unapproved Recruitment
By The Public Lens
In a bid to enhance budget transparency and accountability, the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Public Service have issued a directive to all government agencies, warning them against recruiting new staff in the 2024/25 financial year without explicit permission.
According to Ramathan Ggoobi, Secretary to the Treasury, the directive is aimed at ensuring that government agencies adhere to the new guidelines on payroll management, which were adopted following a government payroll audit in February 2023. The audit revealed that ghost workers had drawn salaries totaling Shs53Bn from different government bodies, prompting the need for stricter controls.
As stated in the Budget Execution Circular released on July 15, 2024, “there will be no recruitment of staff (public service or contract staff) during the financial year except; on a replacement basis; in case of incapacitation, where funds have been provided for recruitment of teachers and health workers under the Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers (UGIFT) Programme and explicit clearance from the Ministry of Finance and that of Public Service.”
Ggoobi emphasized that accounting officers must obtain clearance from the Ministry of Public Service before accessing newly recruited staff on the payroll.
This move is aimed at ensuring that only authorized personnel are added to the payroll, reducing the risk of ghost workers.
Furthermore, all local governments are required to hold an accountability day, where the District Chairperson, Municipal Mayor, or other designated officials will present reports on revenues and program expenditures to stakeholders.
This event must be held towards the end of the financial year, coinciding with other budget transparency activities.
Local governments are also encouraged to utilize all media platforms within their current budgets to highlight priorities in their budgets and account to the public for resources used.
This move is aimed at promoting transparency and accountability in government spending.
The new guidelines require government employees to produce several documents, including a National Identification Number (NIN), Tax Identification Number (TIN), IFMS Supplier Number, and Integrated Personnel and Payroll System (IPPS)/Human Capital Management Number, before accessing the payroll.
The directive is part of efforts to deepen budget transparency and accountability to the public, following recommendations from the Auditor General’s report.
By enforcing these measures, the government aims to ensure that public resources are utilized efficiently and effectively.
