Maravi

Marching backwards in very long strides

Marching backwards in very long strides
By The Post
Sun 14 Nov. 2010, 04:00 CAT

THERE is need for Rupiah Banda to pay attention to the corruption in the country’s road sector.

We say this because corruption remains rife in this very important sector, with bribery, intimidation and fraud in most cases hiding beneath a veneer of apparent compliance through specified procurement and financial management procedures.

Not so long ago, the Auditor General’s office exposed glaring irregularities surrounding the Road Development Agency (RDA). The report for 2006-2009 revealed that the RDA overcommitted the government by over K1 trillion through overprocurement of contracts in the 2008 annual work plan. We were also told that the agency did not retire imprest totalling K19.1 billion since 2004. The report also highlighted issues of unauthorised contract variations and overruns in some road projects in Lusaka and Copperbelt provinces amounting to K93 billion among others. It is also common knowledge that donors were the first to raise concerns on these irregularities and withheld funding to the road sector pending the release of the audit report. After the report was released, we are aware that the donors made recommendations of what they expected the government to do to for them to resume funding to the sector. Some donors have now slowly started releasing funds on selected projects in the road sector.
But given the serious nature of the road sector, it is difficult to understand why Rupiah left the situation unattended to until the donors raised concern. Does it mean that no one was aware of the wrong things that were going on at RDA? Did it have to take donors to sound the alarm and demand an audit over the irregularities that had become the order of the day? Does it mean that there is no other body that could have been checking what this agency was doing? What happened to the so-called commitment towards the fight against corruption, continuing with Levy Mwanawasa’s legacy?

Many have questioned Rupiah and his government’s commitment to the fight against corruption. Rupiah and his minions have been very defensive over these issues, denying the existence of corruption. However, the developments at RDA are but some of the clear indications that there is little, if not nothing, happening with the fight against corruption. And we agree with Citizens Forum executive secretary Simon Kabanda that there is no way the RDA could overcommit the government to a tune of over K1 trillion without their knowledge. Rupiah and his minions cannot play ignorant on this matter.

Any country that is serious with development and improving the living standards of people cannot allow the mess that Rupiah tolerates in the road sector. In countries where such things are not tolerated, Mike Mulongoti wouldn’t be in government today.

Roads are the arteries of modern economic activity. They play a key role in our economy but most of them are in a bad state, and non-existent in some cases. The rainy season is here and the poor state of some of these roads will actually worsen. Very soon some areas in the country will be cut off as the water levels rise in the water bodies. These same roads that have been neglected are being used for transportation of farming inputs. The country’s mining sector also heavily relies on the roads to move minerals and equipment. Given the major role that road infrastructure plays in this country, it is surprising that Rupiah and his minions could allow the situation to get to a level where donors could withhold funding for road works.

We know that there is some funding that has been obtained from other sources – probably less demanded sources in terms of accountability. But that is not a solution because there are many roads that require the government’s attention and we could have still managed to benefit from the donors who have withheld funding to the road sector. Given the serious need for good infrastructure, roads in particular, it is saddening that we could find ourselves in a situation where donors have to withhold funds on account of lack of accountability.

It is not too long ago from the time donors withheld funding to the Ministry of Health following revelations of theft by ministry workers involving K10 billion. Yes, the donors have resumed funding after measures were taken to stop the theft, but it remains to be seen whether or not the measures taken are sustainable. And one would have thought that we could have drawn a few lessons from that episode to avoid further embarrassment involving blatant abuse of donor funding meant to benefit our people, especially the poor. But it is clear that we did not learn from that episode and it is difficult to understand whether Rupiah and his minions have any sense of care at all.

It is very clear that there is no political will in the fight against corruption. If there was, if Rupiah and his minions were trying to be seen to be doing something, we would not have had such embarrassing developments regarding abuse of donors funds. We would have at least seen a reduction in irregularities in the Auditor General’s report as opposed to the current scenario. If Rupiah and his minions were serious, they would not have been allowing questionable deals to be signed right under their noses, sometimes involving their kith and kin. It is amazing that Rupiah and his friends have so much energy and time to feather their nests and work towards securing their hold on power when there is so much serious work to be done. Our people wallow in abject poverty, the education system leaves much to be desired, the health sector is dogged with numerous challenges ranging from poor remuneration, shortage of drugs and staff, among other issues.

Any serious government would be working tirelessly to ensure that people are liberated from the shackles of underdevelopment. Any serious government would ensure that donor aid and local public resources are used prudently and for the benefit of the people. Any serious government would ensure that those trying to rob the people, the kleptomaniacs, are caged and pay back. Any serious government would put its people first. But that is not the case with Rupiah’s government. All we see is serious work towards self-preservation and enrichment; praises for kleptomaniacs; pomposity towards donors when they question the usage of their tax-payers’ monies.

But this arrogance will not take Rupiah anywhere. They should sort out the problems that have dogged the road sector and put things on track. We know that there are some roads that have been done and others, which are being worked on in Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western provinces. But this is just a fraction of the country’s road network and there are many other roads that need attention. Rupiah and his friends need to address the problems at the RDA. We are aware that changes have been made at management and board levels but this is not enough. There is need to address the corruption that exists even beyond RDA. One cannot just focus on the government agencies without looking at the ministry involved, in this case the Ministry of Works and Supply. The rot starts from there up to the lowest levels. And one cannot address the problems at the bottom without paying attention to the top. Empty talk about the so-called measures that have been put in place to fight corruption will not do.

This country needs serious resolve and commitment to fight abuse of resources and ensure that this terrible cancer which has permeated all echelons of our society is stopped. The thieving that is currently going on should be stopped forthwith or our people should forget about any meaningful development.

No one will develop Zambia for us. We have a duty and responsibility to develop this country. We will get all the aid we need but as long as we do not have integrity, a sense of honesty and justice, we will not achieve much; we will be marching backwards in very long strides.

Labels: CORRUPTION, MINISTRY OF WORKS AND SUPPLY, RDA, SIMON KABANDA

posted by MrK @ 6:43 PM