Africa-Press – Uganda. Ministry of Finance officials have said money for early access to the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) is available contrary to claims made by the managing director, Mr Richard Byarugaba, last week.
Appearing before the Parliament’s Gender, Labour and Social Development Committee that is scrutinising the NSSF Amendment Bill, 2021, the State minister of Finance in charge of General Duties, Mr Henry Musasizi, said all eligible savers will receive their money once the law is implemented.
“The MD of NSSF has said there is no money, no this isn’t true, the money is there. Get it from me, the money is there and as soon as we pass this law, those who qualify will access their mid-term access,” Mr Musasizi told lawmakers yesterday.
Mr Musasizi, however, revealed that even when the mid-term access cash is granted, the Finance minister would have discretion to determine access conditions, including setting the percentage in the statutory instrument and there is no guarantee that all savers will receive all the 20 percent. This would range from 0 percent to 20 percent.
On the other hand, the leadership of the National Union of Disabled Persons in Uganda (NUDIPU) asked the same committee to consider their proposal to allow them have the mid-term access at 40 years.
“Our life expectancy is a bit known compared to others. While others are considered to live up to 60 years, persons with disability mostly lose their lives at the age of 45 years,” Mr Bumali Mpindi, the board chairperson of NUDIPU, said.
He added: “So considering all that, we are wondering at what level they will be able to access their fund. So we think that this will be an opportunity for us to start up something constructive if we get some reasonable amount so that they can sustain themselves.”
Similarly, Mr Musasizi defended the government proposal to transfer management of NSSF to the ministry of Finance. He reasoned that this is because the ministry has enough manpower to manage and control finances.
The chairperson of the Gender committee, Ms Flavia Kabahenda, said government needs to advance and support a suggestion in which once a Bill is passed by Parliament, then the Clerk to Parliament can explain the details in the Bills as passed.
This, according to Ms Kabahenda, will save Parliament from undergoing what happened to the previous Bill which the President sent back since it was not clear to him.
She also reasoned that this would save the government resources and save Parliament time so that they can deliberate on other matters.
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