The Civil Society for Poverty Reduction, CSPR, says is concerned with the alleged misappropriation of public funds, mostly those meant for Poverty Reduction Programmes, PRPs.
CSPR Acting Executive Director, Saul Banda, expressed sadness by the weaknesses in the implementation of PRPs as cited in the 2007 Auditor General’s Report specifically in the Education and Health sectors, Public Welfare Assistance Scheme (PWAS), Street Kids Funds and Fertilizer Support Programme (FSP) among others.
Mr. Banda said in light of the announced 2009 budget, the increased allocations of funds to the social sector should be met by stern measures to ensure protection of such funds from abuse.
He has since called on government to seriously consider ring-fencing PRP funds in the national budget, saying the measure ould help ensure the utilisation of funds to the intended purpose.
Mr Banda told ZANIS in a statement that the CSPR is happy for the work of the of he Auditor Genera in highlighting the misappropriating public funds.
Mr. Banda, however, said the reports will only yield positive results if punitive measures are taken promptly on the erring officers, especially with regards to misappropriation of funds.
He said CSPR expects and challenges government as the primary duty bearers to the poor to take action as laws are already in place to deal with such acts of indiscipline.
He cited the 1,500 bags of fertilizer that was unaccounted for in Chipata valued at over K65 million and the untraced revenue from Kapiri Mposhi and Chipata amounting to over K90 million as some of the most disturbing cases.
“These are programs that directly benefit the vulnerable people, yet they seem to be treated with little care. It is sad that duty bearers charged with the responsibility of making the lives of the vulnerable better are actually taking advantage of the situation to enrich themselves,” he said.
He said the findings of the AG’s report solidify CSPR’s findings indicating that the implementation some PRP programmes have had insignificant impact on the economic and social livelihood of beneficiary communities.
ZANIS/PM/ENDS/SJK
That is a scary now
They need to bring some serious consequences for the culprits responsible . Something like being fired on the spot and annulment of any pension or financial benefit with retrospective power. The culprit should forced to do community service and never work in their sector of expertise ever again
terrible indeed
Go **==**==**==
Mr Saul Banda,
practice transparency, accountability, scrutiny with all public funds and maybe we can get somewhere in this issue.
Poverty has made this counrty a perpetual beggar. 😮
Seperation of Powers!! Someone else should hold the WHIP in such situations!! All these AGs reports become water under the bridge…We keep talking about good governance but never actually do it!! Zambians say they are poor, but outsiders see them as rich. Someone is sitting on the key to the wealth and they want it to themselves. >:/
GOVERNMENT has awarded RP Capital Partners of Caymen Islands a US $2 million [about K10.3 billion] contract to value Zamtel’s assets, before implementing the partial privatisation of the company.
CAYMEN ISLAND ARE YOU KIDDING ME SOME IN GRZ IS BENEFITING BIG TGIME FROM THIS . I WOULD NOT BE AT ALL SURPRISED AFEW YEARS DOWN THE ROAD IF A SCANDLE ERUPTS FROM THIS…HOW EVER BEING CAYMEN ISLAAND THE MONEY WILL NEVER BE TOUCHED
Zambia the real Afrika indeed.