Financial irregularities should be a thing of the past – OAG

Financial irregularities should be a thing of the past – OAG
Written by Masuzyo Chakwe
Sunday, May 17, 2009 3:10:10 PM

THE Office of the Auditor General (OAG) has said it is looking forward to the time when issues of financial irregularity will be a thing of the past.

And Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) director Peter Henriot said the findings of the Auditor General's report are undermining the hopes of integral and sustainable development in Zambia.

During a round table public dialogue organised by the Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) yesterday, OAG director for planning and information Louis Mwansa said financial irregularities should be a thing of the past so that the country could concentrate on value adding activities.

Mwansa said the OAG expected civil society organizations to play an advocacy role to ensure that issues raised in the reports were adequately attended to.

He said they also expected the civil society organizations to sensitise the public on the issues raised and implications thereof.

Mwansa noted that the OAG had scored some successes in that they were now up to date in their audit reports.

He said they had also increased the audit coverage from 40 per cent to 75 per cent of the budget and were now aiming at reaching 90 per cent coverage in the next two years.

Mwansa said an alert public and donor support had contributed to the positive developments at the OAG.

He said some of the challenges faced by the office included the retention of staff as it was difficult to anticipate that qualified staff who had joined the office would continue to work within the office as they were all civil servants.

Mwansa said their job was also a high risk as in their work they created more enemies than friends.

And Fr Henriot said the role of civil society organisations must be positive, proactive and fearless in turning around the culture of non-accountability.

He said over the years, millions, billions, trillions of kwacha meant for development of the people of Zambia had been diverted into the pockets of greedy and unconscionable individuals and groups.

"How long can we allow this to go on completely unchecked or only minimally dealt with? This is a challenge that CSOs must take much more seriously if our own commitment to development is to be taken seriously," he said. "Simply reflect for a moment on the current scandal being revealed through the action of the Anti Corruption Commission. Money stolen from the Ministry of Health - I've been told it may come from the Global Fund monies granted for dealing with Zambia's AIDS pandemic - put into fancy cars and plush lodges. How many Zambians will die as a consequence? Yes, simply, corruption kills! Lack of public accountability destroys!"

Fr Henriot said lack of accountability was embarrassing to the country, discouraged hardworking honest citizens, alienated donors, un-attracted investors, destroyed governance and opened the employees in the public service to ridicule, suspicion, and anger.

He called on civil society organisations to call for stronger political will, publicise the findings of the Auditor General's report, demand punishment of the abusers, misappropriators, thieves and robbers of the public funds, advocate for greater and more timely budget support for the Auditor General's office and call for a strengthening of the structures of accountability and competence in the government.

Fr Henriot also called on the civil society organisations to promote grassroots monitoring of government actions and promote a culture, an ethic, a morality of decency and honesty in the public service.

And CSPR board chairperson Reverend Malawo Matyola expressed frustration that there were no measures put in place to ensure that the things reported were not repeated.

Rev Matyola said it was not enough to unearth abuse.

"It has to go beyond just finding this abuse and try to see how we can prevent them. It is a very big frustration. We are concerned that the Executive is not doing enough to act on the findings of the AG's report and this begins to question the relevance if the AG's reports in the absence of action being taken on the part of the Executive," he said.

He appealed to the Executive to ensure that appropriate action is taken.

Rev Matyola said controlling officers who had problems with accountability needed to be dealt with because they said the same things every year.

And Public Accounts Committee (PAC) member Vincent Mwale said it had been observed over the years that although CSOs and other stakeholders were generally satisfied with the work of the Auditor General, their participation in the work of PAC had been very minimal.

"For example, the PAC has been sitting since April, 27 2009 and there has not been any submission from either the public or CSOs. On publicity side, the media [print and electronic] has been very active in covering PAC proceedings from the time they were opened up to the public," he said.

Mwale said the quest to improve financial accountability should not be left to the AG, PAC and the press.

He said the starting point was the report of the AG.

Mwale said under the current laws, the PAC was up to date in considering the reports of the AG and would tomorrow conclude considering the latest AG's report for the financial year ended December 31, 2007.