MPs task Ramathan Ggoobi to fire trade ministry PS Geraldine Ssali
The Committee also recommended for the prosecution of Daniel Kalule, the Transport Officer, Ministry of Trade.
The Permanent Secretary/Secretary to the Treasury at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Ramathan Ggoobi, has been tasked to sack Geraldine Ssali, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives.
The recommendation has been made by Parliament’s Trade Committee accusing Ssali of inflating the price of renovation works at the Ministry of Trade offices at Farmers House to a tune of Shs2bn.
“The Committee therefore finds that Geraldine Ssali is personally liable for the dubious and mysterious inflation of the estimated contract price from Shs4.664bn to Shs6.2bn without any formal or legal justification,” Mwine Mpaka, the Chairperson of Trade Committee said.
“This particular PS has been a problem in all ministries she has been…why don’t we recommend that Public Service retires her in public interest?” Afoyochan Esther (Zombo District WMP) said recommending that Ssali be retired in public interest.
The Committee also recommended for the prosecution of Daniel Kalule, the Transport Officer, Ministry of Trade, for creating seven ghost fuel cards, resulting into the loss of Shs362, 316, 812.
Kalule had claimed the fuel was utilised by three officials at the Ministry but the officials denied ever seeing the said fuel cards.
Nandala Mafabi (Budadiri West) says the petroleum company, TotalEnergies, should also be held liable for having authorised cash withdrawals of more than Shs360m on fuel cards by trade ministry staff within a short period of time.
The Minister of Trade, Francis Mwebesa has pledged to work with authorities to execute the recommendations of the committee on the procurement flaws in renovation of Farmer’s House.
