Thursday 28 November 2013

AUDITOR GENERAL REPORTS FIVE MINISTRIES TO ACC


Anna Chifungula

The Auditor General’s Office has reported five government ministries to Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for investigation for alleged corruption cases involving huge public funds.
Auditor General Anna Chifungula, who announced the development, could however, not disclose the names of the affected ministries. 
Chifungula told journalists at the Cathedral of the Child Jesus in Lusaka today that the ACC is currently carrying out investigations in the five government ministries.
She said her office has a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the ACC to report any cases involving corruption for possible investigation.
The Auditor General further stated that her office is finalising the 2012 audit report which will be released to the public on December 31.
And the Auditor General’s office is unable to fully undertake audits in government ministries and parastatals because it has a shortfall of 100 members of staff.
Chifungula has bemoaned the low staffing levels in her office which  has made it difficult for the auditors to adequately cover all the audit areas.
She said her office still has 100 vacancies and that although interviews for the recruitment of more staff were conducted a year ago no one has been recruited.
Chifungula said there is need to speed up the recruitment exercise for new auditors to ease the pressure on the current staff which she said was strained.
She said things would have been different had her office been given the authority to recruit its own staff than waiting for the Public Service Management Division-PSMD to conduct the exercise.
Meanwhile, the Auditor General’s office has donated a cheque worth K10, 000 to the Cathedral of the Child Jesus towards the construction of a pastoral youth centre.
 Chifungula said her office is committed to playing a critical role in raising the welfare of the less privileged in society.
She told Cathedral of the Child Jesus Administrator Father Albertus Chitoshi that auditors could also contribute more to society other than publishing the audit reports every year.
Cathedral of the Child Jesus Finance and Fundraising Committee Chairman Michael Mabenga assured the Auditor General that the donated money will be used for the intended.
Dr Mabenga said the Church was undertaking various projects which will require further support from well wishers. The construction of the pastoral youth centre will commence next year in 2014 at a cost of K200, 000.

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