The Minister of Gender, Labour, and Social Development, Betty Amongi, has appointed Patrick Ayota as the Managing Director of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) for a period of five years effective August 18, 2023.
In a statement, Dr. Peter Kimbowa, the NSSF Board Chairman, said the appointment follows their recommendation to the minister, in accordance with Sections 39 and 40 of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Act, as amended.
Mr Ayota has been the Fund’s Ag Managing Director for the last 8 months during which he ensured stability of the Fund during a challenging period. He has also served as Deputy Managing Director since December 2017 and Chief Financial Officer since July 2011.
“The Board is confident that he is the right person to steer the Fund forward at such a critical time following changes in legislation that oblige the Fund to play a leading role in expanding social security coverage to all Ugandans,” Dr Kimbowa said in a statement.
“The Board assures all NSSF members, stakeholders, and the public that their Fund is stable and on course to surpass its 2015-2025 Strategic Objectives,” he added.
This comes days after former National Social Security Fund Managing Director Richard Byarugaba dragged the Minister of Gender, Labour Amongi for not renewing his contract.
In a suit filed before the Civil Division of the High Court in Kampala, Byarugaba contends that having served NSSF for two terms, before the end of the second one, the minister tried to end it prematurely through a letter in which she claimed he ought to have left office for having clocked the mandatory 60 years age of retirement.
He says it was only on the intervention of the Attorney General that he was able to complete his second term.
According to Byarugaba, whereas the board based on the fund’s exciting performance during his two terms , the need to complete the 10 year strategic plan for the NSSF for stable continuity, succession and emergence responses in the early provisions of the NSSF amendment Act 2022, the minister refused to renew his contract.
He adds that Amongi deferred his reappointment by raising various unknown and undisclosed allegations about him including financial impropriety, collusion with contractors, defiance of presidential directives, misrepresentation of facts among others.
