The Local Government Association of Zambia (LGAZ) Annual Conference has resolved to correspond directly to Republican President Rupiah Banda in order to discuss a number of issues affecting councils in the country.
And the delegates who included Mayors, Council chairpersons and Chief Officers accused the Ministry of Local Government of having abandoned their conference despite them having been present during the official opening.
The delegates made the resolution following reports by their National Executive Committee (NEC) that efforts to seek an audience with President Banda through the Ministry of Local Government and Housing over the past few months have proved futile.
They said since the ministry had seemed not keen to work with them as evidenced by their absence, they had no choice by to write directly to the Head of state.
 |
| LGAZ to seek indaba with R.B |
The delegates noted that there are a number of issues which they needed to discuss with the President.
The resolution followed a report from the Copperbelt chapter which had requested the executive committee to seek for an audience with the President during the International Trade Fair so that they could discuss some of the issues which he had raised during his press briefing on the Copperbelt.
The delegates said they were disappointed with officials from Ministry of Local Government and Housing for abandoning the conference.
They said they needed the officials to be present so that they could provide some answers to some of the issues which were being raised during the conference.
And delegates have demanded for an explanation from the Ministry of Local Government why Local Authorities should be paying Audit fees to auditors appointed by the Ministry.
The delegates said the Ministry of Local Government should come out clean and explain the rationale behind the payment of audit fees to auditors appointed by the Ministry when the same are paid subsistence allowances by the Ministry.
They argued that according to the Local Government Act, local Authorities are only supposed to pay audit fees when they engage their own auditors.
They noted that the practice which has been going on an abetted has made auditors to be always on the move because of the financial benefit.
They charged that it was unfair for the Ministry to be directing councils to pay auditors form the Ministry of Local Government K12m audit fees each time they come to audit their councils.
The delegates also called for the harmonization of audit advice between auditors from the Ministry of Local Government and those from the office of the Auditor General.
They noted that the difference in the audit advice was creating a bit of confusion as council did not know which instructions to follow.
The Local Government Association of Zambia (LGAZ) which was opened by President Rupiah Banda on Monday this week came to a close yesterday.
All the provinces with an exception of Western were represented.
ZANIS
ZANIS
No comments:
Post a Comment