Maravi

Sata moves to stop government extravagance

Sata moves to stop government extravagance
By Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
Wed 18 Jan. 2012, 14:00 CAT

PRESIDENT Michael Sata has cancelled a permanent secretaries' induction workshop which was to run for five days at Protea Hotel Livingstone because it as a waste of government resources.

According to Cabinet Office sources, President Sata did not take kindly to the five-day period to be spent on an induction at the cost of service delivery.

"We just received instructions after tea break that the induction workshop be cancelled as it is perceived to have been a programme that would have gobbled a lot of public resources to teach people who are already knowledgeable of what is needed of them. It is like the President wants the PS's back in office and five days was just too much," said a source.

However when contacted several permanent secretaries who also sought anonymity refused to disclose the cancellation of the induction workshop which was closed off to journalists saying the acting secretary to the cabinet Evans Chibiliti was in a better position to respond to press queries over the issue.

"Yes it has been cancelled, but we have been told that we shall re-convene but we do not know when," said one permanent secretary.

The cancellation of the induction in its day two of the five days organised in-conjunction with National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA) surprised the controlling officers.

On Monday Acting Secretary to the Cabinet Evans Chibiliti said government was to sign performance contracts with permanent secretaries and ministers.

"The minister will sign performance contracts with the president and you will also sign with the minister so you should also sign with your directors," he said.

He said controlling officers should ensure that the performance contracts also help to serve and manage the resources.

And Answer Saka who is NIPA executive director said he was pleased to note that government had confidence in the institution's ability to ensure that controlling officers were well vested in government operations for them to lead effectively the process of delivering good quality services to the public.

However effects to get a comment from Saka on the cancellation of the induction workshop and the cost implications of the five-day workshop failed by press time.

President Sata has indicated in the past that he wanted to cut down on government costs through travels, having a lean Cabinet and traveling cheap.

Labels: MICHAEL SATA, WORKSHOPS

posted by MrK @ 12:37 PM