The government has revealed plans to disband and merge 153 government agencies and authorities due to what it calls “duplication of roles.”
The plans were unveiled by ICT Minister Frank Tumwebaze when he was addressing the media yesterday.
Among the agencies to be disbanded is the Uganda Nationals Roads Authority (UNRA), National Forestry Authority (NFA), Uganda Aids Commission among others.
The biggest losers in the huge restructure are the employees, including top officials whose fate remains uncertain since the jobs such as those of executive directors and human resources managers will be taken over by the line ministries.
Under the new structure that will take shape in phases, the National Registration Services Bureau will revert to the ministry of Justice while Uganda National Roads Authority, Uganda Road Fund, and Transport Licensing Board will be absorbed by their parent Works and Transport ministry.
The National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS), Uganda Trypanosomiasis Control Council, Dairy Development Authority, Uganda Coffee Development Authority and Cotton Development Organisation have been squeezed in the Agriculture ministry.
In other changes, the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) and NGO Bureau have been placed under Internal Affairs among other changes.
According to Catherine Musingwire, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Public Service, the move to merge and disband some the agencies will save the government over Shs988billion.
“The agencies were taking Shs10.8trillion on the national budget of Shs29trillion,” she said.