Maravi

Mongu Council audit reveals irregular payment to BRE

Mongu Council audit reveals irregular payment to BRE
Written by Nyambe Muyumbana in Mongu
Sunday, December 28, 2008 12:29:09 PM

WESTERN Province local government auditor Persie Mushabati has stated that Mongu Council is on the verge of collapse and has since called for the disbandment of the current management of the council.

And an audit report done by Mushabati under the directive of former local government minister, Sylvia Masebo, has revealed that Mongu Council irregularly paid the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) K125 million, money which was meant for the ‘Keep Zambia Clean’ campaign programme.

Meanwhile, Mulambwa ward councillor in Mongu, Mwenda Lishebo said that it was sad that local government minister Benny Tetamashimba had illegally suspended the elections of mayors, making it difficult for Mongu Council to deliberate on the audit report by Mushabati.

In his audit report dated July 2, 2008 but only made available to the media recently, Mushabati stated that most of the officers in management at the council were not qualified to hold their positions because they did not meet the requirements of Statutory Instrument No. 115 of 1996 which stipulated who should be employed in management positions of the council.

Mushabati stated that it was obvious that reconciling Mongu Council management towards good relationship that could foster development was not attainable with the current environment prevailing, saying that the level at which management was divided into camps for different interests was too high.

He advised that the only solution for Mongu Council was to fire and retire all officers in management and then recruit a new management team that could run the affairs of the council with adherence to the contents of Statutory Instrument No. 115 of 1996.

Mushabati also said that management officers were fond of bribing councillors so that they could support them when they were in problems, a development he said was worsening the division amongst councillors.

The audit report also revealed that Mongu council on October 8 and 16, 2007 paid K25 million and K100 million to the BRE, money which was deposited in its account by the Ministry of Local Government for the purpose of the ‘Keep Zambia Clean’ campaign program.

Mushabati wondered as to why the money was paid to the BRE which was not a government service provision institution and also advised that the BRE be brought to book to account for the money since all government funds were subjected to audit.

The report further revealed that Mongu Council drew the sum of K12, 749,958 from the Constituency Development Fund account purporting that the money was to be used for monitoring unspecified projects when it was in the actual sense spent on workers as salaries.

Mushabati recommended that the money be reimbursed immediately and called for disciplinary action to be taken towards the officers who authorised the release of the funds.

Other issues revealed by the report include the misappropriation of K150 million which was paid to council workers as salaries, funds which were meant for the construction of public toilets and a play park as directed by the Ministry of Local Government.

Mushabati observed that diversion of capital funds to recurrent expenditure was undermining government policy and programmes, saying that it constituted serious financial indiscipline.

He recommended that the management officers that approved the transaction be charged.

The report further revealed that the town clerk was paid K13 million for his paid study leave so that he could meet his tuition fees, contrary to a council resolution that recommended that only part of his total K12.5 million tuition fees be met by the council.

The town clerk is also being highlighted in the report as having illegal ownership of more than seven plots and Mushabati has therefore, recommended that he be investigated for abuse of authority.

Labels: BAROTSE ROYAL ESTABLISHMENT, MONGU, PERSIE MUSHABATI, SYLVIA MASEBO

posted by MrK @ 12:29 PM