Highlights:
- High-Ranking Official Under Scrutiny for Suspected Misuse of Billions
- Ministry Official Accused of Financial Wrongdoing; Investigation Launched
- Parliament Orders Inquiry into Alleged 8 Billion Shillings Scandal
Geraldine Ssali, who served as the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Co-operatives, has been relieved of her duties as the Accounting Officer for the ministry. This decision stems from concerns raised during a parliamentary inquiry regarding the possible misuse of up to 8 billion Shillings.
The parliamentary committee conducted an investigation into alleged financial misappropriation of supplementary funds during the 2021/22 fiscal year. The committee found several issues, including abuse of office, causing financial loss, and negligence of duty, leading to their recommendation for Ssali’s removal from her role as accounting officer.
Their investigation revealed that Ssali did not effectively oversee the proper utilization of funds allocated for the renovation of the ministry’s offices at Farmers House.
Additionally, the committee suggested that other ministry officials, such as Tom Opio, Daniel Kalule, Deo Byaruhanga, and Rosemary Asiimwe, should be examined by the Inspectorate of Government (IG) and the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) under the Anti-Corruption Act of 2009.
Furthermore, the MPs proposed the potential prosecution of Ssali for the abuse of her authority. According to the committee chairperson, Mwine Mpaka, during the 2021/2022 fiscal year, a supplementary request for eight billion Shillings, initially intended for office rent, was made by the then Permanent Secretary, Grace Adong. However, parliament approved only five billion Shillings.
In May 2022, Ssali, who had become the new PS, requested the Secretary to the Treasury to reallocate the funds from rent to renovation. Although Ggoobi granted the request, he insisted on a revised work plan to ensure proper fund utilization.
Surprisingly, it was discovered that Ssali had initiated the procurement process for office renovation just 14 days before the revised work plan’s approval by the Secretary to the Treasury, which shocked the committee.
Additional findings from the probe revealed that Ssali had authorized the procurement of four used cars for ministry officials, costing two billion Shillings.
As a result of these findings, Ramathan Ggoobi, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Finance and Secretary to the Treasury, decided to remove Ssali from her position. In his letter dated October 3, 2023, Ggoobi cited the parliamentary committee’s recommendation, which empowered him to withdraw Ssali’s appointment due to her alleged involvement in fraudulent practices that cost the government 8 billion Shillings.
Ggoobi’s letter also called upon Francis Mwebesa, the ministry’s minister, to nominate a new accounting officer while Ssali’s alleged corruption is being investigated. Furthermore, Ggoobi barred Tom Opio, an office attendant at the ministry, from the Electronic Government Procurement System, citing his unauthorized involvement in procurement activities. Opio defended his role by claiming to possess a procurement degree, despite being officially designated as an office attendant.
These actions follow the conclusions and recommendations of the Parliamentary Committee on Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives regarding the alleged diversion of 5 billion Shillings, originally allocated for rent, towards the renovation of Farmers House. Nathan Nandala Mafabi, the Budadiri County West MP, urged the Head of Public Service to immediately suspend the Trade Ministry’s PS.
Minister Francis Mwebesa expressed commitment to combating corruption and pledged to collaborate with other authorities in addressing the committee’s recommendations.
