Friday, March 29, 2024

Auditor Generals’ deliberations begin in Lusaka

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President Rupiah Banda holds Auditor General, Anna Chifungula's hand when going for a photo session after the AFROSAI seminar in Lusaka.
President Rupiah Banda holds Auditor General, Anna Chifungula's hand when going for a photo session after the AFROSAI seminar in Lusaka.

The sixth governing board meeting of the International

Conference of the African Organisation of Africa Supreme
Audit Institutions–English speaking (AFROSAI-E) conference has opened in Lusaka today with a call on member countries to share experiences on how they can enhance their oversight roles.

The five day conference, which has attracted representation from the 23 member countries under the theme “Information Technology (IT) and Audits process”, is expected to come up with other strategic issues for implementation in the next three years.

Officially opening the Conference, President Rupiah Banda said issues of good governance, accountability and the effective use of available resources are becoming extremely important in the face of global economic melt down.

President Banda said the auditors’ role in ensuring that there are adequate and sufficient controls in the overall financial and accounting systems in government and in reporting deviations from regulation is vital for enhancing accountability.

“This trend where audit institutions use information technology is good for advising governments on matters that go beyond financial accountability,’ he stated.

Mr. Banda, who commended the Office of the Auditor General (AG) for efforts towards financial reforms, promoting of sound management and transparency, pledged government’s commitment to implement necessary reforms aimed at improving financial management.

He said the Zambian government was implementing the Integrated Financial and Management Information System (IFMIS) in order to improve the management of public resources.

He added that government in 2007 launched the national information communication and technology which aims at ensuring that information technology is well coordinated and integrated in all aspects of the economy including auditing.

President Banda also urged the participants to the workshop to use the conference to share experiences on how to deal with some of the challenges that offices of the Auditor Generals are facing.

“It is in such groupings that information, audit standard methodologies and most importantly, quality assurance checks can be shared,’ he said.

He further added that the Auditor Generals’ offices will have an essential role in the implementation of these projects by offering a forum for consultations and monitoring of the projects that will be implemented in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Southern African Development Community (SADC) and East African Countries (EAC).

At the same function, Zambia’s Auditor General Anna Chifungula said different Supreme Audit Institutions (SAI) have made tremendous progress on the implemented of the strategic imperatives of AFROSAI-E.

Ms. Chifungula stated that a prosperous and outward looking AFROSAI-E is a vital component of good corporate governance and regional economic prosperity.

She said Zambia in particular has under taken a number of measures aimed at improving the operations of the office of the AG.

Some measures include adopting new ways of auditing, diversifying into other types of audits, and implementing of the Information Technology (IT) unit aimed at enhancing the use of IT in carrying out IT audits.

“However, we are still a long way in reaching what may be considered as an optimal level in these areas,” she said.

In a vote of thanks, Auditor General of Namibia Junias Kandjeke commended Zambia for the role it played in the liberation struggles of the Southern Africa Region.

Mr. Kandjeke said the sacrifice the Zambian people made towards the liberation struggle of many Southern African countries has resulted in the economic development that these countries are enjoying in the region.

He however appealed to member countries to invest more resources in the offices of the AG if their operations are to be effective.

AFROSAI-E currently consists of 21 English and Two Portuguese speaking Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIS).

The AFROSAI-E is an organization that succeeds the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) organization of supreme audit institutions, which was established as an independent organization in 1991.

ZANIS/MKM/KSH/ENDS

51 COMMENTS

  1. On “Mr. Banda, who commended the Office of the Auditor General (AG) for efforts towards financial reforms, promoting of sound management and transparency, pledged government’s commitment to implement necessary reforms aimed at improving financial management”, I hope the President is serious.

    It is one thing to say things but to mean what you say is another.

  2. I dont like this type of behavior, why is he holding the poor womans hand. RB try to be professional .please semoone tell him to have manners.

  3. eyee sure ba RB,can’t imagine sata holding thandiwe like that,but anyway no vundu.its nice to know that zed audit system is the best in SADC,problem che ni acting on the findings.thus,best audits but worst actions on audit reports,what’s is your take think tanks on this one?

  4. Many thanks on “In a vote of thanks, Auditor General of Namibia Junias Kandjeke commended Zambia for the role it played in the liberation struggles of the Southern Africa Region. Mr. Kandjeke said the sacrifice the Zambian people made towards the liberation struggle of many Southern African countries has resulted in the economic development that these countries are enjoying in the region” for this rare recognition.

    What is at stake though is what are the other countries doing to help pay back to Zambia and Zambians for the sacrifice we did for them at our development expense?

    We need to be appreciated not only in words but in deed. Look at Zimbabwe, instead of it helping Zambians when we were in trouble in the 1980s, her people were busy making funny of us Zambians.

  5. Instead of looking at “Ms. Chifungula stated that a prosperous and outward looking AFROSAI-E is a vital component of good corporate governance and regional economic prosperity” seriously, we are now supposed to give the Migabe led Zimbabwean government money for its operations when it can get that money directly from the British and other donor countries if Zimbabwean Leader Mugabe is to stop saying fun things about them donors.

    Thus, let us be serious in our dealings and focus on removing language barriers that exist in “AFROSAI-E currently consists of 21 English and Two Portuguese speaking Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIS)” as we endeavour to do the needs that have culminated into this meeting at hand in Lusaka.

  6. The auditing system in the zambia government leaves much to be desired. Every year there are glaring reports of financial irregularities which govt just ignores. Someone wrote a book called show me the money Transparency International has revealed gross misconduct for the past 20 years on the part of our govt depts hope something comes out of this.

  7. This woman Anna chifungula has so far been doing the nation a great service…….it is the powers that be , that fail to act on the reports of financial irregularities……What do you expect with advisors in disguise forms of Cosmo , lifwekelo the list is endlesss

  8. Chi RB is a romantic chap, I must say. Some of you on this blog can’t or don’t even know how to hold your women hands ..leave the dude alone on this one. Godd example Mr president, but I will still vote Sata in 2011

  9. Nine Chale… I just changed offices. My company is a big complex and now I have a different flag.

    Ati Jerusalem ayi..

  10. #20 Baby C Hello.
    Just prepare yourself my dear. Anytime the economy starts picking, we’ll be there. I hope you have enough space for chubbs to run around. Too much confinement here…

  11. Nine Chale I will also put a Pic of ny Daughter now. Just wait. Baby C I also have a baby girl. Please do not call her Chubby chicks Nambala 2

  12. jamaco, when that girl turns 15, auntie C will bring in 4 lions and one male croc, to keep away these useless boys! Am out!!!!

  13. #33 Patience is a virtue we voted in ,The head of State ,yes nothing lasts for ever….his time will be up just like his predecessors … and the new dawn will shine even the siliyas will know it ….Never last for ever ….sydney sheldon…

  14. Stripper I just changed offices. I am still in Germany and working for the same company. Nomba this new Flag yafuma kwisa kanshi?

  15. Nice baby pix Jamaco… about your flag, awe nomba you are confusing some of us… are you sure you are not part of the LT team?

  16. Hey Stripper what’s up?
    Nice legs your shoes are wearing too…next time please take the camera a bit higher! LOL

  17. #22, The challenge of accountability in Zambia is not necessarily the auditing system but the lack of resources for the Auditor General’s Office to undertake their reponsibilities. Actually there has been an improvement in auditing government departments because audit reports have been prepared within a two year time frame (in more challenging countries it can take 6 to 8 yrs to present an audit report or even longer). Preparation of an audit report is one thing but there is the bigger challenge of acting on the report, which is the responsibility of Government through Public Accounts Committees (PACs). If the Government does not act on the recommendations made by PACs, then the work of the Auditor General’s Office becomes irrelevant.

  18. 39 Stripper thanks, thats my 4 weeks old baby Girl!!

    This Flag issue is confusing me as well.

    So does anyone know when RB will step on Dora’s feet?

  19. All you homos and lesbians who are calling RB all sorts of tags for holding the AGs hand are doing it out of spite.your hate for people should not degerate to such levels or maybe you just trying to be humorous.this man just wants to indentify himself with his own at an international conference and out of pride and nothing else then what bites you?if it was sata you would have been praising him to be a down to earth man.

  20. Wonders never cease for the genetically bred Zambians ……Holy land Zambia, Cursed be the day LPM died ……….

  21. And cursed be the day kafupi was born………you arrested the medics remember? where is your truant son former SG of a youth party an example of all …….

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