Maravi

You are a useless controller, Simbao tells community PS

You are a useless controller, Simbao tells community PS
By Roy Habaalu
Tue 24 Jan. 2012, 12:55 CAT

CHAIRPERSON of the parliamentary committee on communication, works and supply Kapembwa Simbao on Friday told the permanent secretary in the ministry of community development that he is useless as a controller.

This was after the acting permanent secretary, Ben Chuundu, failed to explain why junior officers were allocated personal-to-holder vehicles. According to government regulations, only ministers, deputies and Permanent Secretaries were allowed to have personal-to-holder vehicles.

"Mr PS sorry to say, but you are useless as a controller. You have failed to stop lower officers from driving personal-to-holder vehicles. Maybe the government should review this policy, this is happening (junior officers having personal to holder vehicles)," said committee chairman Kapembwa Simbao.

Simbao, who is Senga Hill member of parliament, warned Chuundu not to tell lies to lawmakers.

"Be careful please, let's have facts. Tell us what's happening. We are the people that give you money as MPs and if things are wrong, we make recommendations," he said.

Simbao told Chuundu that he would indicate in the report that the PS failed to take up the opportunity to appear before the committee.

After a lengthy lecture, Chuundu who remained silent, apologised to the committee for not disclosing that junior officers had personal-to-holder vehicles.

And the Ministry of Commerce Trade and Industry on Friday failed to give account of expenditure on motor vehicles at the Zambia Development Agency, Citizen Economic Empowerment Commission and Patents and Companies Registration Agency.

Ministry of Works and Supply permanent secretary Steven Mwansa apologised for not providing an inventory of statutory bodies.

And Mwansa pleaded with the committee not to consider as excessive the use of three vehicles for officers that went to Parliament.

"I beg the committee not to consider that as excessive. There are security concerns. Why I came alone is that I was given a directive that I travel to Addis Ababa and had to rush here," he said.

This was after Magoye parliamentarian Oliver Mulomba wanted to know how many vehicles the PS had used when going to the National Assembly.

"That's excessive. The permanent secretary for foreign affairs used one vehicle coming here," said Simbao.

Labels: KAPEMBWA SIMBAO, PERMANENT SECRETARIES

posted by MrK @ 10:56 PM