Africa-Press – Uganda. The Inspector General of Government (IGG) has launched investigations into circumstances under which some staff in the Energy ministry were recruited.
This follows a January 8 petition to the IGG by a whistleblower who claimed one Rose Nannono was recruited for one of the ministry projects in 2018, allegedly without following the requisite process.
Ms Nannono works under the Energy ministry’s Electricity Sector Development Project (ESDP).
According to the petition, recruitment on local contracts involves carrying out a needs assessment, setting up job descriptions, advertising for the job, shortlisting, interviewing, and recommending the award of the job to the best candidate.
“…A case in point is one Nannono Rose who was recruited in 2018 as an administrator in a project at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development without going through the required process. There was no needs assessment for the project nor the job was not advertised but Nannono was irregularly given this job,” the whistleblower’s petition reads in part.
The petition was also copied to the State House Anti-Corruption Unit and the Energy Ministry’s permanent secretary.
The responsibility of recruitment into Uganda’s Public Service lies with the Public Service Commission and district service commissions for central government employees and local government staff, respectively.
The whistleblower also seeks termination of Ms Nannono’s appointment and a directive to refund the money earned in terms of emoluments and allowances, reasoning that it is taxpayer’s money.
When contacted, Ms Nannono said: “I do not know about it (whistleblower petition) and I am not ready to give you any information.”
She also asked this reporter to meet her at the ministry’s offices but when the reporter reached, she never picked up our repeated phone calls to her.
The IGG spokesperson, Ms Munira Ali, confirmed a receipt of the whistleblower’s petition, saying the Ombudsman has launched investigations into the matter.
“We received the petition and we are subjecting it to our numerous processes,” she said.
Ms Munira explained that when they receive a case, they first study it to know its merits and whether it falls under the jurisdiction of the IGG or not.
“If it meets all those requirements, it is allocated to the directorate which is in charge of those matters,” she stated, adding that complaints about irregular recruitment fall under the Directorate of Ombudsman Affairs.
Also when contacted, the spokesperson of the Energy Ministry, Mr Solomon Muyita, confirmed knowledge of the whistleblower’s petition and pledged to cooperate with the IGG.
The Whistleblowers Protection Act, 2010, provides for the protection of a whistleblower and stipulates a five-year jail term for anyone who reveals the identity of such a person..
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