A row has emerged between the NSSF managing director, Richard Byarugaba, and his troubled deputy, Geraldine Ssali, over the payment of billions of shillings as pension to UTL employees.
About a year ago, a proposed scheme by the Uganda Telecom (UTL) top management to plough back retirement benefits of 1,986 employees from the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) sparked a dispute with the pensions body.
UTL claims that it was an error for it to make a 10% contribution to NSSF since its staff were inherited from the Uganda Post and Telecommunications Corporation and were therefore meant to receive pensions from government.
NTV has reliably learnt that the Deputy Managing Director of NSSF Geraldine Busuulwa Ssali, acting on the advice of an official from the Solicitor General's office, authorised the refund of the worker’s pension funds to UTL.
After the refund was authorized, NSSF and the some workers of UTL petitioned the High Court, to halt the return of the workers' contributions to UTL but Judge Lydia Mugambe ruled in favour of the company. NSSF on behalf of the 1,986 UTL workers appealed to have a stay of execution of the ruling by Judge Lydia Mugambe until 13th May 2016.
Sources have told NTV that the dispute between NSSF and UTL over the pension funds is one the key issues that drove a wedge between Byarugaba and Ssali resulting into her suspension.
The High Court recently ruled against the suspension of Ssali by the NSSF board and ordered that she be reinstated.
As all this is happening, many concerned long term employees of UTL are afraid that if the row is not resolved soon they could lose their savings.
When approached, UTL board chairman Steven Kaboyo did not reveal much in his response for fear of breaching the subjudice rule.