Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) and National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) have been disbanded and their operations reverted to their line Ministries in a major government restructuring process.
Government says the merging of some of these agencies is meant to improve efficiency in service delivery, harmonize salaries and cut down on wasteful expenditure.
This was revealed by the Minister of ICT and National Guidance, Frank Tumwebaze during a news conference at Uganda Media Centre. The decision to make this major review of the structure of government was taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by President Yoweri Museveni at State House Entebbe on Monday.
The push towards the reduction of duplicated Agencies and government parastatals has been a sustained debate with many terming these entities as unnecessary.
“Cabinet approved the recommendations and implementation plan for the rationalization of agencies, Commissions and Authorities. The objective for this restructuring is to eliminate functional ambiguities, duplications and overlaps in government services,” Minister Tumwebaze said.
He said that the restructuring is aimed to align functions, structures, plans and budgets of government based on national strategic plans for efficiency.
A total of 153 agencies, Commissions and Authorities were reviewed.
“It will also eliminate wasteful expenditure with view of reallocating these resources to other priority areas for example local governments,” he added.
Formed in 2007, UNRA which was charged with the construction and maintenance of the road network as well as bridges in Uganda and was among the most funded Agencies will now be collapsed into a Department in the Ministry of Works and Transport.
Minister Tumwebaze said that Cabinet is still reviewing other agencies for restructuring, especially those that were formed as a result of international commitments, obligations and conventions.
Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA), Uganda Retirement Benefits Regulatory Authority (URBRA) and Uganda Microfinance Regulatory Authority will be merged and reverted to Bank of Uganda under the Directorate of Non Bank Supervision.
Tourism related agencies: Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) and Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) whose mandate was to market Uganda’s tourism and protect the wildlife respectively have also been disbanded. These two agencies along with the Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary and the Uganda Wildlife Education Trust will be mainstreamed under the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities.
Uganda Investment Authority, Uganda Free Market Zone Authority and Enterprise Uganda Foundation Limited have been merged and placed under the Ministry of Finance.
The Uganda Export Promotion Board (UEPB) will be transformed into a Department under the Ministry of Trade.
Under education, the National Council for Higher Education, National Curriculum Development Centre will be merged into one Council.
In agriculture, National Agricultural Research Organization, National Animal Genetic Resource Centre and Data Bank merged under Ministry of Agriculture.
Under the health sector, Uganda Cancer Institute and the Uganda Heart Institute have also been merged and returned to Mulago Specialized Hospital while Uganda Virus Research Institute, National Chemotherapeutic Research Institute and Joint Clinical Research Centre to be merged under Uganda National Management Health Research Organization.
Health related councils such as Uganda Nurses and Midwives Council, Allied Health Professionals Council, Medical and Dental Practitioners Council and Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda have been merged to create one Council with specialized departments to handle specialized areas.
Under the same restructuring, National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) and NGO Boards have been placed under the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Agencies in the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity as well as regulation including UEGCL, UETCL, UEDCL and REA have also been merged into one and will be under Ministry of Energy.
National Population Council, Economic Policy Research Centre will be under National Planning Authority.
Public Service Commission, Education Service Commission and Health Service Commission will form one Commission with specialized departments to handle the different sectors.
Agencies mainstreamed back to Ministries
Non Performing Assets Recovery Trust
Departed Asians Property Custodian Board
Uganda Energy Credit and Capitalization Company Ltd National Lotteries Board
Uganda Commodities Exchange
Uganda Warehouse Receipt System Authority
Uganda Coffee Development Authority
National Citizenship and Immigration Control
Centre for alternative dispute Resolution
Uganda Registration Services Bureau
National Records and Archives Agency
Uganda Trypanosomiasis Council
National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS)
Dairy Development Authority
Uganda Cotton Development Organization
Uganda Coffee Development Authority
Uganda Livestock Industries Ltd
Uganda Seeds Ltd
Uganda Atomic Energy Council
Electricity Disputes Tribunal
Students Financing Board
National Library of Uganda
National Forestry Authority
Uganda National Meteorological Authority
Uganda Blood Transfusion Services
Uganda AIDS Commission
Uganda Road Fund
National Roads Safety Boards
Transport Licensing Board
National Information Technology Authority of Uganda
