Maravi

LEVY U-TURNS....on disclosure of thieving civil servants

LEVY U-TURNS....on disclosure of thieving civil servants
By George Chellah
Wednesday February 14, 2007 [02:00]

PRESIDENT Levy Mwanawasa has U-turned on his intention to publicly disclose the names of civil servants suspected to have stolen K36 billion from public coffers. And in his ministerial statement to Parliament yesterday, finance minister Ng'andu Magande said 326 civil servants from various ministries were behind the theft between 2003 and 2007. Addressing journalists at the Lusaka International Airport before departure for France yesterday, President Mwanawasa, who was reacting to Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata's statement that it was illegal for him to publish the list of alleged corrupt public service workers without following the due process of the law, said Sata could not teach him the law.

"Who told him that they haven't appeared before a court of law? If the majority of them accepted and they are being surcharged now, Mr Sata of all people cannot teach me the law. The Minister of Finance will be issuing a statement," President Mwanawasa said. "I am informed that due to parliamentary requirement, it may not be acceptable... in parliamentary etiquette it may not be acceptable to disclose the names of culprits because they wouldn't be there to defend themselves. But the Minister of Finance will be able to indicate. "If the Speaker should waiver it would be put on the table. But because of parliamentary etiquette the list will not be given. A breakdown of the money which had been taken will be given."

And when asked why it long for him to announce the theft in the public service, President Mwanawasa said he did not take long to disclose because the information came to his attention four days before he announced to the nation. "There was an error in calculation. I announced the error three or four days after we had discovered so there was no delay. But it’s true to say that these cases have been going on for a long time and has been brought to my attention," he said. Addressing a public rally in Mpulungu last week President Mwanawasa announced that about K3 trillion had been stolen by public service workers. But on Saturday during the MMD card renewal exercise, President Mwanawasa apologised for announcing that K3 trillion had been stolen instead of K36 billion. He said there was an error in calculation. President Mwanawasa also said he would publicly disclose the names of suspected thieves in the public service to deter people from stealing. He said finance minister Ng'andu Magande would present the details in parliament.

This prompted Sata to state that it was illegal and unfair for President Mwanawasa to publish a list of alleged corrupt public service workers without following the due process of the law. Sata said if President Mwanawasa goes ahead to publish the list names of suspected thieves in the public service, it would only confirm his disrespect for the judiciary and the law enforcement agencies.

And President Mwanawasa visibly became upset after he was asked when the ruling party would elect its vice-president. "Are you a member of the MMD?" President Mwanawasa asked Muvi TV reporter, Edward Mwango, who denied in return. "So what is your concern? I will answer the question from MMD and not an opposition member," said the visibly annoyed President Mwanawasa.

Meanwhile, President Mwanawasa said he was going to France to attend the French Africa summit. "There will be themes to discuss and I have been told that I will participate in the theme, 'Raw Materials in Africa.' It's really relevant because in Zambia we produce a lot of raw materials. There is need to add value to raw materials because they enable us to make money, it enables us to create jobs," President Mwanawasa said. "It also enables our people to enjoy their own resources. It doesn't make sense that these raw materials are exported and re-imported in finish products. It's sometimes 50 times the cost."

He also said he wants to gate crash in the session that would be discussing Africa's position in the world. "Are we are a continent of constraints? I want to take that on and I will like to argue. And I will be preaching to my colleagues the heads of states that we must be assertive and ensure that our weight is felt. We are after all the biggest continent so I could not see why we cannot be felt," President Mwanawasa said. President Mwanawasa also said the findings of the cause of the Zambia Air force plane that crashed sometime back were not for public consumption. President Mwanawasa was accompanied by first lady Maureen, foreign affairs minister Mundia Sikatana, community development minister Catherine Namugala and other senior government officials.

And in his ministerial statement in Parliament yesterday, Magande said the K36 billion involved 326 public workers in various ministries and covers the period 2003 to 2007. "It has now been confirmed that the figure of K3 trillion was as a result of an error in calculation. The correct figure of the amount of money alleged to have been misappropriated by some civil servants K36,675,745,936. The President did issue a public statement on Saturday, 10th February, 2007 on the matter and apologised for the wrong figure given earlier," Magande said.

"The break down is as follows; (1) fraudulent activities K35,675,745,936, irregular payment of housing allowance in the ministry of education K417,264,144. Mr Speaker for most of the old cases investigations were concluded, disciplinary action was taken and appropriate punishment including imprisonment and dismissal meted to the culprits. "The following are the details of the action taken against the erring officers; surcharged seven, surcharged and reprimanded 195, surcharged and demoted six, surcharged and retire 21, dismissed 13, under investigations 15, under investigations and suspended seven and suspended and arrested 62."

He said for the cases under the Ministry of Education, which constitute the majority of 195 who were surcharged and reprimanded, it was discovered that many teachers were being coerced to share money meant for housing allowance. "The money would have been surplus due to either a teacher having died or transferred to another school. In other words, teachers were sharing balances of any money left over after paying those who genuinely deserved the housing allowance. It was felt that the appropriate punishment should be to reprimand and surcharge the culprits, so that the money comes back to the government," Magande said. "The habit of sharing left over public funds at the paying points seems to be rampant in many ministries. Even salaries of deceased officers are shared and not surrendered back to the Ministry of Finance and National Planning. We are following up these cases and apart from sealing the loopholes, those involved will be charged and surcharged."

He said the government had the lists of the names of the officers and amounts involved in all the cases which he had mentioned. "However, in the interest of justice and taking into account parliamentary practice and procedures, we are unable to provide this August House with the list of those involved. I wish to assure the House that we will continue to strictly monitor the use of public funds and take stern action against those abusing their offices of trust," Magande said.

Labels: CORRUPTION, GOVERNANCE, MAGANDE, MWANAWASA

posted by MrK @ 4:12 AM