Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Isaac Mufumba
Published on 2024-01-28 06:40:30
The most recent report from the Auditor General has shed light on the significant number of unfilled positions in the country’s largest employers. According to the report, as of June 2023, a staggering 60,847 out of 133,670 approved positions in 75 government ministries, departments, agencies, and 167 local governments have remained vacant for more than two years. This shortage has had a detrimental impact on service delivery, leading to reduced efficiency, increased workload for existing staff, and hindrance in providing quality services.
The Minister of Public Service, Ms Catherine Bitarakwate Musingwiire, partly attributes the situation to the government’s freeze on the recruitment of public servants and contract staff. She also acknowledges that other issues have contributed to the problem. Surprisingly, even the bodies responsible for recruitment, such as the Public Service Commission and the Ministry of Public Service, are facing staff shortages. The report highlights that these institutions also have several unfilled positions.
The inadequate staffing is most acutely felt in the health and education sectors, with major institutions such as the Office of the President and the Ministry of Information Communication Technology and National Guidance also being severely affected. In the health sector, the report reveals that over 50% of the approved positions in various national and regional referral public health facilities are unfilled.
Additionally, the Ministry of Health and the Health Service Commission, which are tasked with recruiting health workers, are themselves experiencing significant staff shortages. The shortage of personnel in the health sector is not only affecting service delivery but is also impacting the ministry’s ability to carry out its functions effectively, such as policy initiation and supervision of health service delivery.
Furthermore, public universities and institutions in the energy sector, such as the Petroleum Authority of Uganda and the Uganda National Oil Company, are also grappling with a large number of unfilled positions. At the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), more than half of the approved positions remain vacant.
The Ministry of Public Service has expressed its intent to address the issue of unfilled positions, but it emphasizes the need for strategic decision-making and careful analysis of the Auditor General’s report to determine the relevance and importance of the vacant positions in the approved structure.
