KAMPALA, October 27, 2023 – The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives [MTIC], Geraldine Ssali Busuulwa has been reinstated as the Accounting Officer of that ministry, almost a month after she was stopped from performing that duty over a Shs 8 billion scandal.
According to Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet Lucy Nakyobe Mbonya, Ssali’s reinstatement as the Accounting Officer for MTIC was a directive from President Yoweri Museveni, the appointing authority in the country.
The letter directing the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury, Ramadhan Ggoobi to reinstate Ssali to her former post reads: “Reference is made to H.E. the President’s letter Ref: PO/1 dated 22nd October, 2023 concerning the above mentioned permanent secretary…This is to request you to immediately reinstate Ms. Geraldine Ssali Busulwa as the Accounting Officer for the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives as per the President’s directive.”
Background
Geraldine Ssali’s was dropped as MTIC’s Accounting Officer after a parliamentary probe alleged she had engaged in the misappropriation of supplementary funds for the financial year 2021/22.
Particularly, the Committee on Tourism, Trade, and Industry had accused Ssali of abuse of office, causing financial loss, negligence of duty, and other charges in the report adopted by parliament in August.
The MPs claimed that Ssali failed to control and ensure the proper use of money appropriated to the vote for procurement of renovation works on the ministry’s offices at Farmers House in Kampala.
The MPs also recommended possible prosecution of Ssali over abuse of her authority. “Ms Geraldine Ssali should be investigated with a view of prosecution by the DPP for negligence of duty, disobedience of statutory duty, abuse of office, and causing financial loss to Government,” the report read.
In May 2022, Ssali, the new PS, requested Ggoobi for transfer of the money from rent to renovation, a request Ggoobi granted but demanded a change of work plan to enable utilisation of the funds.
“To the utter shock of the Committee, it was established that 14 days earlier, even before a revised work plan could have been approved by Ggoobi, Geraldine Ssali had authorised the initiation of the procurement process for renovation of office premises,” said Mwine Mpaka, the committee chairperson.
Other revelations during the probe included the authorisation by Ssali of procurement of four used cars for ministry officials at a cost of two billion Shillings.
It’s on the basis of this that Ggoobi decided to withdraw Ssali from the role of the Accounting Officer and asked her minister, Francis Mwebesa, to nominate a new officer as the PS was being investigated over alleged corruption.
In his letter dated October 3, 2023, Ggoobi quoted the recommendation by the parliamentary probe committee that asked his office to exercise his authority under the Public Finance Management Act [PFMA] to withdraw the appointment and designation of Geraldine Ssali as an Accounting Officer over her alleged involvement in illegal and deliberate fraudulent practices that have cost the government Shs 8 billion.
“The purpose of this letter therefore is to request you as the supervising Political head of the Ministry to nominate a suitable officer, for my appointment, to execute the duties of the Accounting Officer, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives as allegations against Ms. Geraldine Ssali and others are being investigated,” Ggoobi said as he relieved Ssali of her duties.
Ssali had been replaced by Alfred Andima, the undersecretary finance and administration, MTIC.
Before she was dropped as Accounting Officer for the ministry, Ssali had denied charges brought against her, saying they were aimed at tarnishing her image. Unverified reports claim some mafias in Kampala were not happy that Ssali decided to renovate the ministry’s office instead of acquiring new office space, from which they would get a kickback.
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