UCAA faces MPs’ scrutiny over fake papers, Shs233b debt

Parliament has directed the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) to submit the academic credentials and recruitment records of its 13 top managers for verification after the authority dismissed 89 employees found to have secured jobs using forged academic documents.

The directive was issued on Thursday by the Committee on Physical Infrastructure during a meeting with UCAA officials led by the State Minister for Works (Transport), Mr Julius Maganda, and the Deputy Director General, Ms Olive Lumonya.

The committee’s move follows concerns over a directive by President Museveni to dismiss more than 150 UCAA employees suspected of presenting forged academic qualifications.

Bukoto Central MP Richard Sebamala questioned the status of the officers implicated in the scandal and those responsible for recruiting them.

“Are those 152 staff still working? What is the status of those who appointed them illegally? Are they still working and receiving taxpayers’ money?” Sebamala asked.

In response, Ms Lumonya said investigations established that 89 employees had presented forged academic documents and were subsequently dismissed without terminal benefits after due disciplinary procedures.

She said verification conducted by the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) confirmed that several employees had either altered their Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) results or used other people’s academic credentials to secure employment.

“The affected positions required grades between A and C, but some applicants who had obtained D, E or F altered their results in two subjects to meet the minimum requirements. UNEB confirmed the forgeries. They were given an opportunity to defend themselves and, following the disciplinary process, they left the Civil Aviation Authority,” Lumonya told the committee.

Committee chairperson Mwine Mpaka questioned how such a large number of unqualified employees had been recruited into an institution responsible for aviation safety.

“If you had 89 people who entered the institution using forged documents, yet many qualified Ugandans remain unemployed, how are we sure that all of you in top management are qualified?” he asked.

Mpaka also questioned whether government had suffered financial loss by paying salaries to employees who secured jobs fraudulently and asked what steps had been taken to recover the money.

Bunyole West MP James Waluswaka directed UCAA to submit a comprehensive staff list together with the investigation report into the forged academic qualifications.

Ibanda North MP David Gumisiriza warned that employing unqualified staff in the aviation sector posed serious safety risks.

“This is an authority responsible for aviation safety. Employing unqualified staff exposes the country to serious risks and potential disasters,” Gumisiriza said.

Kole North MP Samuel Opio questioned whether all the senior officials appearing before the committee had verified qualifications.

After Ms Lumonya assured the committee that they had been vetted, lawmakers ordered UCAA to submit the academic credentials and recruitment records of all 13 members of top management within one day.

“If you have an Air Traffic Control Officer who is not qualified, then this is a very serious issue,” Opio said.

UCAA reveals Shs233 billion debt

During the same meeting, UCAA disclosed that it is owed more than Shs233 billion by the government and Uganda Airlines for services provided at Entebbe International Airport.

The authority’s Director of Finance, Mr Hassan Musinguzi, said Shs91.6 billion of the outstanding amount is owed by central government.

He said the authority is engaging the Ministry of Works and Transport to secure settlement of the arrears.

According to Musinguzi, the debt stems from unpaid airport-related services, including office rental space occupied by United Nations agencies, parking fees for Uganda Airlines, passenger service charges and other operational costs at Entebbe International Airport.