KAMPALA – Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has learnt of plans by Makerere University to reduce the number of its Non-academic Staff by 700 in a move that will see the University save over Shs4 billion spent on wages annually.
Last week, Makerere University top management appeared before PAC to respond to queries raised in the December 2019 auditor general’s report and among the issues raised was the aufitors was the failure by Makerere University to fill up to 1279 academic staff vacancies.
Makerere University’s approved structure comprising of 2,720 academic staff, of which 1441 posts are filled leaving 1279 and in response, the University Management tabled the Human Resource Audit report on Makerere University of August 2019.
The HR audit report highlighted that Makerere University spends 78% of funds it obtains from Government on wages, a figure the HR audit committee described as unacceptably high.
“The HR Audit Committee proposes that Makerere University can be competitive and effective with 1600 academic staff and 900 Non-academic Staff by 700 persons and hiring more 100 academic staff. There are some posts in non-teaching staff category that are nolonger relevant in the current environment due to technological changes, thus the job owners seem to have inadequate or no roles and responsibilities to execute,” read in part the report.
In 2018, the University faced a wage shortfall of Shs17Bn, which prompted Vice Chancellor, Barnabas Nawangwe to request for an audit into the University’s Human Resource.
The University report revealed that Makerere University pays Shs352 cleaners Shs3.3Bn per annum in wage, yet this isn’t commensurate with work done.
As such, the HR audit committee cautioned the University to gradually phase out cleaning services to private companies and save the University cost of housing, medical care, retirement benefits and strikes from this group.
The report also recommended to the University not to hire any new cleaners, Messengers.
The same recommendations were made on the 105 security guards, where the University spends Shs1.071Bn annually, with calls to have a leaner workforce run by a private company that can do a better job at a lower fee.
The report noted that 72 younger security guards on 24hour basis can guard the University at Shs328.320Mn annually.
