The Permanent Secretary (PS) of Ministry of Energy Irene Bateebe has explained that employees of Rural Electrification Agency (REA) who were not absorbed into the mainstream ministry are either aged or have pass degrees.
She added that Public Service guidelines stipulate that candidate with a pass degree doesn’t qualify to apply for any job in civil service.
Ms Bateebe was prompted to explain at length the method she employed in selecting which worker joins the ministry following a story TrumpetNews published on Monday.
However, a huge section of staff edged out has since protested referring to the process as sham, biased and unfair.
The protest comes after the PS informed all staff in August that their contracts with REA will be terminated next month on 19th as per the cabinet decision to merge most of its agencies.
Subsequently, Ms Bateebe issued a memo on 29th December inviting a section of REA staff to fill Public Service Commission PSC forms to enable onward submission for assessment of suitability of appointment in the mainstream public service on the recommended positions.
Bateebe, who earlier said was busy, later reverted to clarify on “a number of issue.”
She refuted claims that the process of selecting the staff was unfair.
“The process has been fair in line with the public service guidelines. Let me teach you how public service works,” she explained, adding that a candidate with a pass degree and who is above 50 years of age can’t join active civil service.
“And you know REA has had many of those old officers who have worked there for a long time and have reached that age,” she said.
She further elucidated that many of the workers have been left out because the ministry has no slots they previously held at REA.
“We don’t have space for them. At least we have tried to accommodate some of them. But not all,” she said.
Asked why all the available jobs in the ministry were not re-advertised and allow all staff to compete, she said that wasn’t possible.
“Why should I complicate the work of the ministry of public service when I know what they already want,” she said.
Click the link to read our previous story>> https://trumpetnews.co.ug/unqualified-junior-staff-relatives-offered-juicy-positions-as-rea-is-absorbed-into-energy-ministry/
