Chairperson of the Equal Opportunity Commission Sylvia Muwebwa Ntambi has Wednesday urged Ministry of Public Service to address the widening salary disparities in government, owing to the negative contributions it brings.
She also said that if Uganda is committed to achieving its 2020 middle income status goal, such income gaps have to be bridged.
The Equal Opportunities Commission is established under the constitution to among others eliminate discrimination and inequalities against individuals or group of persons on the ground of sex, age, race, tribe, and other aspects.
It is also tasked to take affirmative action in favor of groups marginalized on the basis of these grounds.
Addressing press at the media center today, Ntambi enumerated a number of dangers that come with wide salary disparities.
“Some of the direct consequences are absenteeism, low motivation to work, corruption and late coming which means they will not deliver services to the public as due,” she said.
“Ministry of Public Service should fast-track establishment of a Salary Review Commission to determine equitable remuneration for public servants and harmonization of the various salaries structures across the public service”.
The highest paid public servant in Uganda according to the commission the Governor of Bank of Uganda with 57Million and the lowest paid is given 200,000 shillings.
Other public servants earn two to six times more than their counter parts in other public institutes according to gender, age and many others.
“Parliament and executive should review some laws and policies that relate to establishment and renumeneration of public institutions to avoid duplication of mandates and ensure sustainability of a quality public service,” said Ntambi.