NSSF partners with UNRA to promote social security compliance  

The National Social Security Fund, with support from the Uganda National Roads Authority, has embarked on a sensitization drive to ensure contractors in the road sector comply with the remittance of social security contributions for their workers.

In a news release dated June 19, the Fund said, the drive is being undertaken to operationalize the new provisions in the NSSF Act, as amended, specifically Sections 7 and 13 A that introduced mandatory contributions by all workers regardless of the size of the enterprise or the number of employees, and section 13A which introduced voluntary contributions.

To operationalize the law, Patrick Ayota, NSSF Ag. Managing Director said that the Fund was promoting a willingness to save amongst non-compliant employers through partnerships that target large groups of workers like UNRA.

“The Fund has also developed initiatives that increase the capacity of employers to save with the main aim of increasing social security coverage. These initiatives include support to local enterprises to grow and create jobs in the long run,” Ayota said.

NSSF had recently given non-compliant employers a period of two months ending June 30^th to regularize their status with NSSF.

Ayota advised the contractors in the road sector to take advantage of this amnesty and avoid the financial penalties associated with non-compliance.

Betty Amongi, the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development affirmed her ministry’s support for the Fund on its agenda to increase social security coverage and compliance in line with the NSSF Amended Act.

“Statistics we got from NSSF and UNRA show that less than 50% of contractors undertaking work on behalf of UNRA are compliant with the new NSSF Act. My ministry has therefore developed strategies to bridge the compliance gaps. Specifically, we shall mobilise stakeholders to work in unison to bridge the social security compliance gaps as well as leverage technology to determine the non-complaint ones,” explained.

The UNRA Director of Roads Infrastructure Protection, John Bosco Ssejjemba pledged UNRA’s support to ensure compliance in the road sector.