MPs Grill PSST Ramathan Goobi Over Finance Officials Stuck in Acting Roles for 11 Years

Lawmakers on Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee Central (PAC-Central) have strongly questioned the Ministry of Finance over prolonged acting appointments. The committee put Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury (PSST) Ramathan Goobi on the spot after discovering that some senior officials have remained in acting capacities for up to 11 years, well beyond the six-month limit stipulated in the Public Service Standing Orders.

During an oversight session chaired by Kassanda North MP Patrick Nsamba, the committee demanded explanations from ministry delegates regarding their job statuses. When pressed to be candid before parliamentary cameras, Godfrey Ssemugooma stunned lawmakers by revealing that he had served in an acting capacity for 11 years through repeated one-year intervals. Another official, Ashaba Hannington, disclosed he had acted as Director of Budget for two years despite holding a substantive role as Commissioner for Finance Planning.

Lawmakers argued that the practice severely undermines career progression and demoralises hardworking civil servants. Wakiso Woman MP Betty Naluyima warned that many dedicated public officers risk retiring while still holding temporary titles for positions that should be substantive. She challenged the PSST to present documentary evidence showing active collaboration with the Ministry of Public Service to resolve the systemic staffing gaps and conduct proper recruitments.

In his defense, PSST Goobi attributed the situation to a historical structural problem within the ministry. He explained that director-level vacancies and ongoing court cases involving interdicted officials have complicated regular recruitment processes. Goobi noted that some positions cannot be permanently filled until legal matters involving affected personnel are fully resolved.

Despite the explanations, Chairperson Nsamba rejected the justification, maintaining that prolonged acting appointments directly contravene established legal limits. Concluding the session, Goobi assured the committee that the ministry is actively working with the Head of Public Service to address the backlog of director-level appointments ahead of the upcoming audit cycle. Read more details on this story from the Nile Post.