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Businessman petitions Finance over Shs1b South Sudan compensation
Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury Ramathan Ggoobi. PHOTO/FILE/COURTESY
What you need to know:
- Adroit says that it is one of the companies found to have valid compensation claims, but Finance says all companies that were verified were paid
Kampala businessman Moses Asasira, the Adroit Consult International projects coordinator and director has petitioned Ministry of Finance permanent secretary and secretary to Treasury Ramathan Ggoobi, to expedite a compensation claim over money lost in South Sudan more than 10 years ago.
In a July 24 letter, Mr Asasira said that whereas Adroit was one of three companies found to have valid compensation claims, two had been partially paid, with his claim yet to be considered.
Adroit, one of the South Sudan-Uganda traders, he wrote, had together with Dott Services and Roko Construction been verified, with payments for the companies approved by both Parliament and the Cabinet, noting that: “We are, therefore, writing to inquire about the status of our payment and request for your assistance in expediting this matter so that Adroit receives its payment”.
“Dott Services and Roko Construction have received partial payments. The pending payment to us amounts to $293,853 (Shs1b) without interest accrued and inflation since 2013. In a recent visit to your office, we were informed that it would be equitable for Adroit to receive its due payment, given that the other two companies have already received theirs. However, to date, our company has not received any payment,” Mr Asasira wrote.
However, Mr Ggoobi yesterday said those who passed the verification were paid
and the file was closed, noting without giving details that: “Those who are complaining did not pass the verification”.
Adroit, a multi-discipline consultancy firm, did a feasibility study on Yirol Oil Mill in the Lakes State, on behalf of the South Sudan Ministry of Commerce and Industry but was only partially paid, leaving a balance of $293,853 unpaid.
Since 2015, Adroit, together with several other Ugandan businesses that had made claims against the government of South Sudan for unpaid services, has been waiting for its due payment.
Following several meetings with the government of South Sudan, a sovereign guarantee was issued to the government of Uganda, through which, some traders’ claims have been paid, while others are still pending.
