Government Conducts New Payroll Audit Amid Wage Deficits and Budget Shortfalls.

The government is conducting a new audit of its payroll to accurately determine the number of civil servants it employs and the corresponding salaries it should be paying them.

The Auditor General is spearheading this audit following reports of wage deficits in various government agencies and districts, which have resulted in prolonged salary delays for many employees.

The aim is to streamline staffing planning and ensure clarity in the wage bill. Public Service Minister, Wilson Muruli Mukasa, confirmed this development and provided details in an interview. “Ministry of Finance has undertaken an audit of the payroll. The Auditor General is auditing the payroll. This exercise has commenced and they are scrutinising the payroll so that we get accurate figures of people on the payroll,” he said.

According to the Minister, the audit is scheduled to be finished before the end of this financial year in June. The government has faced unexpected budget deficits this year, leading various ministries to request unusual approvals for supplementary from Parliament to cover salary and wage expenses.

The government is currently reorganizing its finances to fulfill a commitment made by President Museveni to increase the salaries of science teachers, certain science professionals, and some military personnel during the 2022/2023 fiscal year. However, the government is still struggling to accommodate this commitment within its existing accounts.

Last year, many government officials, particularly local government employees and teachers, experienced extended periods without pay, which resulted in industrial action.

The government is conducting a new audit of its payroll to accurately determine the number of civil servants it employs and the corresponding salaries it should be paying them.

The Auditor General is spearheading this audit following reports of wage deficits in various government agencies and districts, which have resulted in prolonged salary delays for many employees.

The aim is to streamline staffing planning and ensure clarity in the wage bill. Public Service Minister, Wilson Muruli Mukasa, confirmed this development and provided details in an interview. “Ministry of Finance has undertaken an audit of the payroll. The Auditor General is auditing the payroll. This exercise has commenced and they are scrutinising the payroll so that we get accurate figures of people on the payroll,” he said.

According to the Minister, the audit is scheduled to be finished before the end of this financial year in June. The government has faced unexpected budget deficits this year, leading various ministries to request unusual approvals for supplementary from Parliament to cover salary and wage expenses.

The government is currently reorganizing its finances to fulfill a commitment made by President Museveni to increase the salaries of science teachers, certain science professionals, and some military personnel during the 2022/2023 fiscal year. However, the government is still struggling to accommodate this commitment within its existing accounts.

Last year, many government officials, particularly local government employees and teachers, experienced extended periods without pay, which resulted in industrial action.