Members of Parliament sitting on the Committee on Gender, Labour and Social Development have recommended that all the supervision of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) be under the Ministry of Gender, which is charged with social security.

The recommendation is carried in the Committee report presented on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday by Flavia Kabahenda, the Kyegegwa District Woman MP. The report followed the second reading of the NSSF Amendment Bill, 2021 by Betty Amongi the Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development. 

Though Deputy Speaker Anita Among deferred the debate on the NSSF Amendment Bill to Tuesday next week, the Committee’s position is geared towards ending the confusion over how the fund should be supervised.

When the Bill was first passed early this year by the 10th Parliament before being returned by President Yoweri Museveni, supervision of the business arm of NSSF was put under the Ministry of Finance while the Ministry of Gender would supervise the social security aspect. 

The Committee report, however, is to the contrary; “the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development is directly responsible for the creation of a vibrant social sector, as well as securing workers’ retirement through their contributions in NSSF.”

With the government obsessed with borrowing both internally and externally, there has been scepticism that the fund would be abused if the Ministry of Finance takes charge of the supervision role over the business arm of the NSSF.

While the Committee recommends that the commencement of the midterm access to the fund by the contributors be implemented after 60 days of the publication of the Act, the MPs reaffirmed the 10th Parliament’s decision to allow those who have saved for 10 years and are aged 45 and above, be eligible to receive 20 percent of their accrued savings.

The demand for the midterm access was drummed up during the uncertain times caused by the lockdown imposed by the Government to curb the spread of Covid-19. 

Stranded at home, the workers argued that since the government did not have a clear stimulus package, it was better they access part of their savings in the NSSF instead of braving the torrid period and waiting for retirement age.

There have been contradictory statements by the management of NSSF with the Executive Director Richard Byarugaba saying the money was lent out into neighbouring countries before changing his mind to say there is enough to pay midterm access for eligible members.

If the Bill is passed with amendments suggested by the Committee, the Executive Director of the NSSF will be a non voting member of the Board of Directors as opposed to the Government’s proposal that he or she ought to have voting rights.

MPs argued that making the Executive Director a member of the Board with voting rights would lead to conflict of interest because such a person would influence the decisions which include issues related to his or her appointment.

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