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Uganda
Uganda National Meteorological Authority Act, 2012
Act 11 of 2012
- Published in Uganda Gazette 65 on 30 November 2012
- Assented to on 10 October 2012
- Commenced on 24 January 2014 by Uganda National Meteorological Authority Act (Commencement) Instrument, 2014
- [This is the version of this document from 30 November 2012 and includes any amendments published up to 24 January 2014.]
Part I – Preliminary
1. Commencement
This Act shall come into force on a date to be appointed by the Minister by Statutory Instrument.2. Interpretation
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—"Authority" means the Uganda National Meteorological Authority established by section 3;"Board" means the Uganda National Meteorological Board established by section 5;"climate" means the average or mean weather conditions of a place as determined by the daytoday values of the meteorological or weather elements that affect a locality covering a reasonably long period such as 30 years;"climate change" means a significant change in the climate with a definite trend in at least one of the weather elements; the change must be recorded over an extended period, typically a decade or longer to differentiate it from climate variability which, although a major meteorological hazard, has no definite trend;"Congress" means the Congress of the World Meteorological Organisation;"Constituent body" means a constituent body of the World Meteorological Organization which includes the Executive Council, the Regional Associations or Technical Commissions;"Convention" means the Convention of the World Meteorological Organization which was concluded in Washington D.C. on 22nd September 1947;"currency point" has the value assigned to it in the Schedule 1;"Executive Director" means the Executive Director of the Authority;"Meteorology" means the science of the atmosphere that embraces both weather and climate and is concerned with the physical, dynamical and chemical state of the earth's atmosphere;"Meteorological services" means services provided by the Authority;"Minister" means the Minister responsible for matters relating to meteorology;"Organisation" means the World Meteorological Organisation;"weather" is the condition or state of the atmospheric environment over a short period of time such as an instant or a few hours to a number of days or seasons involving various meteorological elements or parameters such as rainfall, wind, temperature, sunshine and atmospheric pressure among others;"weather modification" means any activity performed with the intention or the ultimate outcome or both of producing artificial change in the composition, behavior and dynamics of the atmosphere.Part II – The Uganda National Meteorological Authority
3. Establishment of the Authority
4. Functions of the Authority
The functions of the Authority are—5. Board
6. Qualifications of Board members
7. Functions of the Board
The functions of the Board are—8. Tenure of the Board
9. Filling of vacancies on the Board
10. Remuneration of Board members
The Chairperson and members of the Board shall be paid such remuneration as the Minister may in consultation with the Ministers responsible for Public Service and Finance, Planning and Economic Development determine.11. Delegation of functions of Board
12. Meetings of the Board
Schedule 2 has effect in relation to meetings of the Board and to other matters provided for in it.13. Committees of the Board
14. Executive Director
15. Duties of Executive Director
16. Power to install meteorological instruments
17. Delegation of functions and powers by the Executive Director
18. Tenure of office of Executive Director
19. Other officers and staff of the Authority
20. Independence of the Authority
21. Powers of the Minister
Part III – Financial provisions
22. Funds of the Authority
23. Borrowing powers
The Authority may, with the approval of the Minister, and the Minister responsible for finance, borrow money from any source as may be required for meeting its obligations or for the discharge of the functions of the Authority under this Act.24. Investment of surplus funds
Any monies of the Authority not immediately required for any purpose under this Act may be invested in a manner which the Board may, after consultation with the Minister and the Minister responsible for finance, determine.25. Estimates
26. Financial year of Authority
The financial year of the Authority shall be the same as the financial year of the Government.27. Accounts
28. Audit of accounts of the Authority
I he accounts of the Authority shall in each financial year, be audited and reported upon by the Auditor General.Part IV – Offences and penalties
29. Causing damage to meteorological equipment
30. Unlawfully carrying out weather modification activities
31. Giving false information on weather
A person who, knowingly and intentionally, gives false information relating to the weather commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding forty eight currency points or imprisonment not exceeding two years or both.32. Obstructing an officer from performing his or her duties
33. Issue of unauthorized forecasts and publications
Any person who without authorization in writing of the Executive Director makes weather observations, issues weather forecasts, releases climate information to the public commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding forty eight currency points or to imprisonment not exceeding two years or both.34. Importation of meteorological tools
Part V – Miscellaneous
35. Protection from liability of members of the Board and employees of the Authority
A member of the Board, an employee of the Authority or a person acting on the directions of the Board or an employee of the Authority is not personally liable for any act or omission done or omitted to be done in good faith in the exercise of the functions under this Act.36. Fees for services rendered by the Authority
37. Annual report
The Board shall, within three months after the end of each financial year, prepare or cause to be prepared and submitted to the Minister an annual report on the activities and operations of the Authority for that Financial year.38. Minister to report to Parliament
The Minister shall, in each financial year, submit to Parliament the annual report on the activities and operations of the Authority within thirty days of receipt of the report from the Authority.39. Register
40. Minister's power to amend Schedule 1
The Minister may with the approval of Cabinet by Statutory Instrument amend Schedule 1.41. Regulations
Part VI – Transitional provisions
42. Transfer of assets and liabilities
All properly and assets vested in the Department of Meteorology before the commencement of this Act shall, on commencement of this Act, be vested in the Authority subject to all interests, liabilities, obligations and trusts affecting the property.43. Employees of Department of Meteorology
44. Former employees of Meteorology Department
History of this document
24 January 2014
30 November 2012 this version
10 October 2012
Assented to