Workers at the Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) offices at Lugogo are worried after going four months without pay.
One of the workers who did not want to be mentioned told URN that they don’t know what is happening because it is a long time since they were last paid salary. The insider said it is sad the UOC officials including the President Roger Ddungu do not seem bothered about this situation.
In the absence of Ddungu who could not be got on phone, UOC Vice President (technical), Dennis Galabuzi confirmed to URN on Monday that it is true the staff have gone four months without pay.
Galabuzi, who was elected early last month during the General Assembly held in Gulu, said he thinks there is a management issue at UOC which needs to be addressed. He explained that workers have not been paid because Ddungu has not been in position to sign cheques for payment. Galabuzi who is also the chairman of the Uganda Table Tennis Association (UTTA) said it is not that UOC does not have money.
Money problems are the sort of issues which should not come up in Olympic bodies since all administrative expenses for National Olympic bodies in the world are catered for by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). IOC sends close to US$50,000 annually for this purpose.
Godfrey Nuwagaba, the new UOC treasurer could not comment on the situation because he has not officially taken over office with a proper handover. He told URN that he was not aware of the situation at UOC because he has not received the files and knows nothing.
