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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Bank of Uganda has issued stringent guidelines on the operations of staff in currency centres.
In a letter dated September 2, 2019, BoU acting director of the currency directorate Dr Bazinzi Natamba said the guidelines are intended to mitigate risks and strengthen controls at currency operations.
One of the rules issued is that “no note examiner should access a counting/machine room of another currency branch without authorization.”
The other is that no staff other than note examiners should participate in the counting/machine room activities such as sorting, punching and strapping of stocks.
All currency centres are also required to ensure that the daily CCTV recordings are reviewed.
Wastebaskets or boxes placed in counting rooms must also be removed. This is specifically because staff can use them as hiding venues for currency.
BoU has had a scandal to do with currency, specifically on the transfer of cash from Paris by Oberthur Fiduciare, the company contracted to print the currency, where extra pallets were put on the plane.
BoU says some staff members were in the know and didn’t stop. They are facing charges in the anti-corruption case.
BoU is trying to avoid cases where staff at currency centres can connive and move more money than authorized, said one official at the central bank.
Another rule that has been issued is that staff must not carry into the counting rooms any items such as tea, water, eats, juice, among others for personal use.
BoU has currency centres in Mbale, Mbarara, Jinja, Fort Portal and Gulu. They are setting up one in Masaka.
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