Maravi

Chifungula advises media to highlight misuse of public funds

Chifungula advises media to highlight misuse of public funds
Written by Katwishi Bwalya and Masuzyo Chakwe
Thursday, April 30, 2009 2:57:13 PM

AUDITOR General Anna Chifungula has urged the media to be brave and open in highlighting issues of irregularities in the manner public funds are administered.

And World Press Freedom Day organising committee chairperson Sheikh Chifuwe said the media had done very well in trying to foster reconciliation in the nation.

Speaking ahead of World Press Freedom Day, which falls on May 3, Chifungula said journalists had a critical role to play in creating awareness on transparency.

"This is a very important day for you [journalists] and make sure that you continue being brave and open in bringing out these issues [irregularities] because you are critical people in this," she said.

She commended the media for the role played in highlighting the work of the Auditor General in the country.

"You have done a good job in creating awareness on the work that my office is doing, people have now known what my office is doing," Chifungula said.

And during a briefing at The Post newspapers offices yesterday ahead of World Press Freedom Day which falls under the theme, 'Potential of the media in fostering dialogue, mutual understanding and reconciliation', Chifuwe who is also Press Freedom Committee of The Post secretary general said the theme itself poses a great challenge to the media.

"As the media, what are we doing? What role are we playing in trying to ensure that there is reconciliation and mutual understanding in our nation? Right now we have a lot of social conflicts in the mining industries in terms of losing jobs in masses, so as media organisations, houses what are we doing? What role are we playing in trying to pacify these differences? Are we providing a platform for reconciliation because every conflict has the potential to destabilise the peace of the nation and the community," he said.

However, Chifuwe said the media could have done a lot better if all information needed was provided to them.

He also said there had been pronouncements by politicians that the freedom of information legislation would be taken back to Parliament this year and that the Independent Broadcasting Act (IBA) and the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) Act would be operationalised.

Chifuwe hoped the information minister would live up to his word made in Parliament when he was debating the estimates and expenditure for the ministry.

Labels: ANNA CHIFUNGULA, CORRUPTION, MEDIA

posted by MrK @ 1:58 PM