The Inspectorate of Government (IGG) has successfully recovered UGX 9.6 billion in unpaid salaries, pensions, and gratuities through its Ombudsman interventions in the past financial year.
This revelation came as the IGG Beti Kamya addressed the media on Thursday at the Media Center ahead of International Ombuds Day, where she urged both citizens and public officers to take a stand against maladministration and restore integrity in public administration.
Kamya informed journalists that in 2023/2024, her Inspectorate resolved 636 Ombudsman cases across Ministries, Departments, Agencies, and Local Governments (MDALGs). Out of these, 135 cases were resolved within MDAs, while 501 were handled at the local government level. The UGX 9.6 billion recovery was made as part of efforts to address grievances relating to unpaid employment benefits, including salaries, pensions, and gratuities.
“Corruption thrives at the tail end of continued disregard or violation of laws, rules, and regulations,” the IGG emphasized, noting that preventing corruption begins with proper adherence to administrative rules. “If the Ombudsman mandate is fully utilized, it can prevent and eventually eliminate corruption within the public sector.”
As a way of strengthening Public Service Administration, Kamya noted that the IGG’s Directorate of Ombudsman Affairs is tasked with addressing systemic public administration issues and it is operating through three key divisions:
Central Government Division which handles complaints related to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies under the Central Government.
The Regional Office Division manages complaints arising from Local Governments and their related departments. The Systems and Systemic Interventions Division focuses on identifying and resolving systemic issues in public administration through inspections and reviews, ensuring that government offices meet the expectations of both the citizens and the state.
“These divisions support the strategic goal of improving public sector governance and grievance handling as outlined in the IGG’s 2020/21-2024/25 plan. Their efforts include targeted inspections of public offices and engaging institutions with a high number of complaints,” she said.
To strengthen its Ombudsman role, Kamya said that the IGG has introduced several interventions, including improving systems in high-risk MDAs and Local Governments, conducting boardroom sessions to address service delivery issues, and increasing public awareness of Ombudsman functions.
Courtesy of the above interventions, in the last financial year, the Inspectorate achieved significant results: 75 boardroom sessions were held to address community service delivery concerns. 22 cases were resolved using Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) methods, including mediation. 10 system reviews were conducted to improve practices in public institutions. And Shs9.6 billion was paid to complainants in unpaid employment benefits.
“As Uganda commemorates International Ombuds Day, I call on public officers to prioritize resolving grievances at the source, rather than escalating issues prematurely,” she said. Noting that officers often bypass immediate mechanisms, such as Human Resource departments, and take cases directly to senior officials like the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), causing unnecessary delays.
“Our doors are open to receive complaints, and I encourage all citizens to stand against the evils of maladministration,” the IGG stated, urging the public to play an active role in restoring accountability and strengthening the rule of law.
Meanwhile; An ombudsman is an official, often appointed by the government or a legislative body, responsible for investigating and addressing complaints from the public about maladministration, violations of rights, or unfair practices by public officials or institutions.
The primary role of the ombudsman is to act as a neutral intermediary that seeks to resolve disputes between citizens and the government or other public institutions fairly and impartially.
Today marks International Ombuds Day, observed every second Thursday of October each year. This year’s theme is “Here to Hear You.” In Uganda, the Inspectorate of Government has organized several activities to celebrate this day, with the main event scheduled for November 6th, 2024.
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