Maravi

Sacika urges govt to act on Auditor General’s reports

Sacika urges govt to act on Auditor General’s reports
By George Zulu
Tue 08 Feb. 2011, 04:01 CAT

Dr Sketchley Sacika has urged the government to act on the reports of the Auditor General.

Commenting on revelations in the latest Auditor General's report about the K2.7 trillion unreconciled balance in various government institutions, Dr Sacika said it was shocking to see President Rupiah Banda’s government fail to take corrective measures on irregularities highlighted in the Auditor General's reports.

Dr Sacika said any serious government should seriously curb the vice to protect public funds.

"It is very shocking and I am surprised that President Banda's government has failed to take corrective measures against the culprits. This is not the first time misapplication of funds is revealed by the Auditor General," Dr Sacika, a former secretary to Cabinet, said.

He said such continuous glaring revelations were unhealthy, and the government should not blame the donors for withdrawing their support as a result of irresponsible management of public funds.

"We already have DANIDA who have withdrawn their financial support and if you look at the explanation obviously it is for everyone to see that even donors were not happy with government with regard to the use of funds," he said.

Dr Sacika said a pattern of mismanagement of funds had been developed in the past 15 years under the MMD leaders without any consequence against the culprits.

Dr Sacika said it was embarrassing to belong to and preside over a regime whose preoccupation was to loot the little resources the nation had without any fear or sense of shame.

The Auditor General revealed K2.7 trillion unreconciled balance in various government institutions. According to the Auditor General's report for the financial year ended December 31, 2009, an analysis of the appropriation account on revenue and expenditure for the year under review highlighted an unreconciled balance of K2.7 trillion, revenue surplus of about K619 billion and excess expenditure of K87 billion.

The report revealed that other financial irregularities involving K318 billion included misappropriation of revenue, unaccounted for revenue, under-banked revenue, delayed banking, unaccounted for funds, misapplication of funds, unretired imprests, unvouchered expenditure, unaccounted for stores, irregular payments, non recoveries of salary advances and loans, failure to follow tender procedures, undelivered materials, non-submission of expenditure returns, unauthorised expenditure, wasteful expenditure, non-remittance of tax and contributions and overpayments.

Labels: ANNA CHIFUNGULA, AUDITOR GENERAL, DR. SKETCHLEY SACIKA

posted by MrK @ 6:03 AM