Southern province Minister Daniel Munkombwe has said the K10 billion financial scandal in the ministry of health has dented the image of the civil service.
Mr Munkombwe has regretted that despite President Rupiah Banda having quickly acted upon the issue, some sections of society have not appreciated the action.
He said the civil service, like any other section of political society, is not immune to non credible characters, whose dealings are denting the public service.
Mr Munkombwe was speaking in Livingstone today when Public Service Commission Chairman, Austen Mweemba, paid a courtesy call on him at his office.
He said governments exist because of the civil service adding that unless they were men and women of integrity, the country would suffer.
Mr Munkombwe regretted that some senior civil servants are also involved in the scam.
And Mr Mweemba said no one has the capacity to know the ability of workers because the Public Service Commission only looked at qualifications when employing civil servants.
He said it was difficult for the PSC to tell whether people were joining the civil service to merely gain experience and leave or whether they looked at it as a fertile ground to make money.
Mr Mweemba has since advised civil servants that the public service is not a place to go and become a millionaire and has advised thoses with such intentions to go elsewhere where they can make money in an unlimited manner.
Meanwhile, Mr Munkombwe has appealed to striking workers in the province to resume work.
Mr Munkombwe said there was need for civil servants in the province to give union leaders more time to negotiate with government.
Civil servants in the province have downed tools demanding better and improved conditions.
Hospitals, clinics and schools have been largely paralysed following the strike action by health workers and teachers.
ZANIS
Civil Service was dented long before this, now it is totaled. Major overhaul needed.
bring the fellows involved to book ASAP and address the plight of the many civil servants that are under paid and working in less desirable conditions.
A dent on the image or a true reflection of how you small time characters are milking our hard earned tax.
Just as it is a sham to buy transport for the dead instead of Ambulances or better still medicine for patients.
RB’s administration was born out distributing sugar and salt in Katete. CORRUPTION BEGETS CORRUPTION. You can not plant mangoes and harvest maize.