MOST government departments have been spending their monthly financial allocations on procuring goods and services without following the stipulated laid down procedures, it has been learnt.
This came to light during a procurement meeting with several heads of government departments in Kalomo today by the Southern province accounting control unit (PACU) officials.
The team led by Southern province senior accountant, Muyano Mwanangombe observed that most government departments in the region did not have procurement personnel thereby forcing un-authorised officers in such wings to constantly purchase goods and services for their smooth operations.
‘’ Yes, all of you who have been purchasing goods without the procurement officers in your departments were erring, the only officer authorised to purchase are procurement officers, that is the challenge we are facing in most government departments,’’ said procurement officer, Vivian Chibuye when asked whether all departments who were buying goods for the running of their departments were at fault.
Meanwhile, heads of government departments in Kalomo have welcomed the move by the decentralisation of financial allocation directly to the district administration in the 2014 budget cycle.
She urged government departments to create procurement units so that ‘tax payers’ money shall in future be applied within the stipulated confines of Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA) Act.
And Mwanagombe said all departments falling in control 98 would by next January,2014 have their funding administered through the district commissioner’s office as opposed to the past where some department had to get their payments from the provincial administration.
Some of the departments whose funding would be channelled through the district administration include, forestry, social welfare, community development, water affairs, chiefs and traditional affairs, buildings and Zambia news and information services (Zanis) in the decentralised front.
And Kalomo district commissioner, Patrick Phiri has thanked the PACU team which is moving in all the districts of the region to sensitise government departments on the decentralisation of financial allocations and procurement procedures which are underway in 2014.
imwe, confusion is everywhere, from the grassroot to the tip of the leaf, it’s all messed up! do not be surprised! CC III prophesied.
I primeraly voted for pf because they promised that they would come and ‘sweep the civil service’ .That ‘s getting ready of corrupt and lazy elements fro de system.Nevertheless,congrates 2 de govt 4 firing dose INHUMAN nurses.Deal with rotten eggs!
I beg to differ with u @1.Zambians yo altitude toward public resources is pathetic,irritating and ancient that need an iron fist to deal with it.’Ni vya boma.’kind of altitude is too much.STIFF PUNISHMENT MUST BE PUT IN PLACE PLEASE!
Problem is institutions like Nipa which trained civil servants in public service administration have been commercialised while others are now universities. The abolition of public service examinations have caused mediocre persons to be promoted into jobs they do not understand, while politicisation of appointments and positions have completed the rot in the service. This has been compounded by the lack of a proper induction system in the civil service for new recruits.
@Agressive Muntanga
I totally agree with you. Being a PF member is a prerequisite for any one to get a civil service job nowadays. So they can’t blame the inefficiencies on any one outside the PF. The problem with the PF government is right at the very top. The civil servants at the bottom see how the president has personalised the running of RDA without board members as an example to follow and bulafye as Sata and his cohorts are doing.
Now that money has run out they want to shift the blame on poor small earner civil servants.
We shall see what will happen when new draconian taxes kick in to raise the money to start paying back the debt.
I also wonder why funding should go through the DC. This is a political position and most people appointed to these positions lack skills and knowledge to run civil service. They have qualifications at times, can be transferred, any time, fired any time and how have no work plan.
Do DC report to PS. Provincial minister(Political), PS(CS), DC(Political/DC)
As a taxpayer, I would like our scarce resources to be handled professionally. Why, after so many years of restructuring do we still not have procurement officers at those levels? Where is Cabinet Office (MDD), PSMD and the Ministry of Finance?? If the vacancies are there why have they not been filled when unemployment is high?? Surely do you need the President to come in?? Is that what you are waiting for?? Why do you civil servants behave so selfishly?? Its high time authorities revievwed the operations of Cabinet office, really. Do the people at that office really know their role as appex of the civil service? This presdential appointment of senior officers is to blame for all this inefficiency. Let these positions be competed for BY ALL Zambians so that the best get them.
Sorry, LT, I am not abusing your hospitality, but I need to post this comment.
“Chato…confirmed the high rate of HIV cases in prisons….however, the ZWD has information that government intends to … go ahead …to issue condoms to inmates”. The government has, and I do not blame them for taking that decision. If indeed Zambia is a Christian nation, why is homosexuality rampant in prisons? The question whether to give condoms to homosexual sinners in prison for prevention of STIs and AIDS just as we for sexual sinners outside is an ethical dilemna. Viva govt decision and abash hypocrisy. We are not saved for being in “Christian” Zambia but by grace whe we confess that we are sinners and accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal saviour (Romans 10:9).