Maravi

Tribunals are taking us nowhere – Mulongoti

Tribunals are taking us nowhere – Mulongoti
Written by Nchima Nchito Jr
Saturday, April 11, 2009 5:59:39

MINISTERS are now afraid to make decisions because of tribunals, works and supply minister Mike Mulongoti has said.

During a forum organised by the National Council for Construction (NCC) in Lusaka on Thursday, Mulongoti said decision-making by ministers had now been criminalized in society and this had hampered their efficiency because everything was now being referred to permanent secretaries to make decisions.

“We are now criminalising decision-making, a PS (permanent secretary) makes decisions for everybody because nobody wants to make decisions because they are potential jail birds,” Mulongoti said.

He claimed that this situation has paralysed the civil service.

“Everything is being referred to PSs. When I look at PSs, I look at potential jail birds,” he said.

Mulongoti said decisions that had been made in good faith were now being questioned although business was about decision-making.

“We will not go anywhere with tribunals, I can assure you,” he said.

Mulongoti said criminality should not be seen in everything that was done by the government.

Communications and transport minister Dora Siliya is currently being probed by a tribunal established under the Parliamentary and Ministerial Code of Conduct Act for allegedly abusing her authority of office when she offered, without following tender procedures and legal advice from the Attorney General, a US $2 million contract to RP Capital to evaluate ZAMTEL assets. Siliya is also accused of having irregularly overruled the Zambia National Tender Board on a contract to repair radars at Lusaka and Livingstone international airports.

Meanwhile, commerce minister Felix Mutati said the K3 trillion allocated towards infrastructure development in the national budget was aimed at stimulating growth in the economy. Speaking at the same function, Mutati said the money allocated to infrastructure development may not be enough but was a good start.

“By creating growth in the infrastructure sector, we will be reversing some of the job losses that are occurring in other sectors,” he said.

Mutati said infrastructure was a huge contributor to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). He said the government was willing to go into Public Private Partnership (PPP) to bring about infrastructure development.

“Government will not have money to address all challenges of infrastructure…that is where the private sector will come in,” he said.

However, Mutati warned the private sector that only quality products should be delivered to the public.

Labels: CIVIL SERVANTS, FELIX MUTATI, INFRASTRUCTURE, MIKE MULONGOTI

posted by MrK @ 5:00 AM