By Leonard Kamugisha Akida and Mmeeme Leticia Luwenze,
KAMPALA:
FDC rallies workers to demand for their savings in NSSF
The Forum for Democratic Change has said no one will take on the streets to fight for civil servants in demanding for their savings with the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) unless they themselves walk away from their comfort zones and and take a lead to demand for their savings within the fund.
“Stop sending to us messages to fight for you. No! We can only help you but you must be on the front.” FDC said.
The remarks were made by the party deputy Secretary General Harold Kaija on Monday during the party’s weekly press brief at Najjanankumbi Kampala.
“We are calling upon workers to stand up and demand for your money. You will not demand for your money in your beds, and on social media. You must be seen in numbers, you must come out and demand for your money. That is when we will also amplify the voice.” FDC said.
NSSF is in spotlights after the Managing Director Richard Byarugaba told the Gender Committee of Parliament that the fund is unable to effect payouts to savers eligible for the mid-term benefits within next month. The committee is currently collecting public views and scrutinizing the NSSF Amendment Bill (2021).
The proposed law provides that any member of the fund aged 45 years and above and who has saved with the fund for minimumly 10 years be allowed access to their savings to upto 20 percent.
It should be recalled that the Bill was earlier endorsed by President Museveni who directed NSSF to allow access of upto 20 per cent benefits for those who are 45years and above and have made a regular contribution of at least 10 years. But, this was later annuled by the speaker of Parliament Rt Hon. Jacob Oulanya who said the NSSF Amendment Bill (2019) was a business of the 10th parliament.
Government later reintroduce the Bill, (NSSF Amendment Bill, 2021) which was tabled for first reading on September 29. The Bill which is in its last stages is waiting for the president to assent to it and its expected to pass into law at the end of this month (October).
Amending NSSF Bill
The decision gave birth to the successor NSSF (Amendment) Bill, which replicates contents of the previous version, and Parliament committed to expedite its enactment.
Following the back-and-forth, Mr Byarugaba told this newspaper on October 4: “On November 1, we will have a new system and if the law is passed by then, we will be able to make those payments.”
U-turn
Recently, the NSSF MD Richard Byarugaba had told reports that the fund projects payout of mid term benefits worth UShs 500 billion this year but Savers were later dismayed after learning that Byarugaba had changed his minds when he revealed that committee of parliament that they have no cash to pay savers eligible for mid term benefits.
In a twinkle, Byarugaba made a Uturn when he told the committee at Serena Hotel Kampala, that; “As for the money, that is another question. This year we were projecting to pay Shs 932 billion, but because of this new Bill, we are going to pay an additional Shs 902b. We are expecting Shs 120b per month (in remittance by employees); so, that money is not all available as soon as the law passes. We do not have the Shs 1.5 trillion for interests and mid term payments.”
He further said the money have already been invested and there is no cash at hand to pay mid term benefit claimants.
This has attracted public debates with many questioning values of the fund to the savers.
FDC reacts:
FDC now says that the depressed workers saving with the fund should not hold their tongues and sit on their ass but rather come out as the team to demand for their money.
“We are calling upon workers to stand up and demand for your money. You will not demand for your money in your beds, and on social media. You must be seen in numbers, you must come out and demand for your money. That is when we will also amplify the voice.” FDC said.
Kaija said the denial of workers to access their savings is one of the reasons which resulted into the closure of some multibillion companies in the Ugandan market.
“What boosts the economy is the ability of people to buy, if NSSF had released the money, may be multinational companies like Game Stores, Africell and Shoprite would not be closing, because their clients are the middle class which saves within NSSF. They are closing because customers are not spending,”
He stressed that the arguement that there inflation caused by the NSSF money is a farasay noting that those in power are treating NSSF as their saving, as being done in the police Exodus SACCO of police.
“The arguement that this money is causing inflation is a farasay! Mr. Byarugaba must produce that money!” Kaija said.
