Ntungamo District CAO In Hot Soup Over Delayed Salaries

Posted by: Eninu William in Uganda news December 21, 2023

Ntungamo district chief administrative officer (CAO) Mathias Ndifuna is in trouble. This is after the public service ministry permanent secretary told him to clear the mess over the delayed civil servants’ salaries for December.

Ndifuna is locked in a dispute with permanent secretary Catherine Bitarakwate Musingwire after he issued a memo to district employees, informing them that the salary for December, will delay due to “delayed finalisation of the payment files by the ministry.”

In a letter, purportedly signed by the CAO dated December 19, 2023, Ndifuna assured them that they were on standby.

The moment the ministry sends the files, they will start paying immediately. This statements did not go well with the permanent secretary and district staff.

The district staff are confused and they now face the prospect of celebrating the festive season without their salaries.

In response, Bitarakwate quickly dismissed the allegations. She denounced them as baseless and insisting that they were unrelated to the ministry’s processes.

In her letter dated December 19, 2023, Bitarakwate refutes Ntungamo CAO’s claims. According to her, the ministry had completed the payment files by December 15, 2023, contrary to the allegations.

“This ministry has been brought to notice of a letter Ref: CR/115/1 dated December 19, 2023, circulating on social media in which you informed all employees of Ntungamo District Local Government that salary for December will be delayed due to the delayed finalisation of the payment files by the ministry of public service. Finalised payment files for Ntungamo district, like any other entity still on the integrated personnel and payroll system (IPPS) were sent to the IPPS/ Integrated Financial Management. Information System (IFMS) core funds transfer (FT) on the night of Friday 15 December 2023 and by 9:00 am of December 16, 2023, all sent payment files had been confirmed to have loaded on core ft. This was within the payroll cycle timelines communicated in Circular Letter No. 3 of 2022 issued by this ministry,” the letter partly reads.

To resolve the escalating tension, Bitarakwate requested the CAO to clear the impression created. This is especially among the staff of Ntungamo district Local government.

They claim the delay in payment of their salary was occasioned by the ministry. She directed the CAO to ensure that staff salaries are processed expeditiously without any further delay.

The letter also emphasizes the importance of utilizing technical staff from the Ministry of Public Service. This is in case of any technical challenges, rather than causing confusion and unnecessary alarm.

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