Maravi

Zamtel resists government audit

Zamtel resists government audit
By Agness Changala
Fri 02 Dec. 2011, 13:59 CAT

ZAMTEL is resisting to be audited by the Auditor General, says Anna Chifungula. Auditor General Chifungula disclosed in an interview on Wednesday that Zamtel was resisting because the government was a minority shareholder. Chifungula has since written to Attorney General Mumba Malila seeking legal opinion on the Zamtel audit.

"I have written to the Attorney General for his opinion and hopefully we will receive it soon and then see how we can move forward," she said. "Our colleagues in Zamtel are still resisting and they wrote to their lawyers who advised us to seek legal opinion from the Attorney General."

Chifungula said legal matters involving Zamtel were beyond her office but insistence to audit Zamtel was because government put in a lot of money going by the report they had received.

Two weeks ago, Minister of Justice Sebastian Zulu said Zamtel was externalising its profits.

"I understand if there was US$30 million, there is only US$1 million remaining," said Zulu.

The Zambian government last year sold Zamtel's 75 per cent shares at US$257 million about K1.3 trillion to Libya's LAP Green Network but the former paid US$ 334 million, about K1.7 trillion, to retain its remaining 25 per cent shares in the telecommunication company during the privatisation of Zamtel.

She said her office instituted audits at ZAMPOST on Monday.

Chifungula said the Zambia Development Agency, Ministry of Transport and Communications, and Ministry of Finance and National Planning, would be audited together with Zamtel.

Chifungula said the auditing of the above institutions would be concluded by December 15.

She said after the audits are completed, the reports would be made available in the 2011 Auditor General's report.

And speaking when she received 50 laptops donated to her office by the Norwegian government, Chifungula said President Michael Sata's commitment to root out corruption had created fertile ground for her office to carry out its activities with pride and vigour.

She said her office aimed to engage and strategise on ways and means that could help advance the fight against fraud and corruption.

Chifungula said her office had continued to acquire knowledge from Norway which would enable them improve audit methodologies and skills.

Chifungula said the donation of the laptops was given at an appropriate time when the number of auditors in the office was on the increase.

Norwegian Auditor General Kosmo Jorgen said the Auditor General's office played a positive role in good governance, fighting corruption and ensuring accountability.

The Auditor General of Norway and Zambia signed an agreement related to support to the office since 1996 and has since been extended to 2014. It was under this agreement that the 50 laptops were donated to the Auditor General's office.

Labels: ANNA CHIFUNGULA, CORRUPTION, MICHAEL SATA, ZAMTEL, ZDA

posted by MrK @ 5:51 PM