CSPR lodges complaint to ACC and DEC against Government departments cited in the Auditor General

THE Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) has logged official complaints to Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) and Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) against some Government departments cited in the Auditor General (AG) report in Eastern Province.

And ACC Public Relations Manager Timothy Moono confirmed yesterday the receipt of the report stating that it would be under consideration. Nyimba and Petauke District Education Boards Secretaries (DEBS), Lundazi District Community Medical Office (DCMO) and the auction committee of Government vehicles in Eastern Province have also been reported to DEC and ACC for further probe into the matter.

In a letter to ACC regional manager Raymond Banda and copied to his counterpart for DEC, CSPR Advocacy and Communications Coordinator Maxson Nkhoma said CSPR has taken time to study the findings of the 2015 Auditor General’s Report with keen interest particularly on poverty reduction sectors such as health, agriculture, infrastructure development, social protection and education among other sectors. Mr Nkhoma said the provincial analysis of the report involved a comparison of the 2012, 2013 and 2014 Auditor General’s Reports to get a comprehensive picture of financial management in various Public Institutions.

“From the study we have undertaken, we are saddened to note that there seem to be growing general increase in abuse of Public funds meant to finance national development programmes in various line Ministries,” he stated.

Mr Nkhoma said it was sad that there was increasing trend in abuse of public funds in various line ministries taking place against the background of existing Memoranda of Understanding signed by ACC, DEC and AG.

He said it was regrettable that while the Head of State continues to denounce corruption, public service workers were busy reversing his efforts in the fight against corruption.

“CSPR hopes that the law enforcement agencies will expedite their work in carrying out investigations and bring those found wanting to book.CSPR is ready to start litigation against the above mentioned departments should law enforcement agencies drag their fits in investigating these cases for unknown reasons,” he said.

He said the auction committee was being reported in relation to the recently auctioned government vehicles where it was alleged that officials could have taken peculiar advantage by offering themselves or their relative’s vehicles without following laid down tender procedures.

Mr Nkhoma said the 2015 report reveals serious gloss financial irregularities arising from wilfully failure to follow laid down tender procedures by the Petauke and Nyimba DEBs contrary to the Public Procurement Act of 2008.

He said the report also reveals failure to retire accountable imprest by Lundazi DCMO.

“The following are particulars 1) Willful failure to follow to tender procedures – Nyimba and Petauke DEBS This involved irregular procurement of ICT-equipment by the DEBS offices in Petauke and Nyimba,”he said

He said on 30th March 2015 the Petauke DEBS office received K456, 765 for procurement of ICT equipment for various schools in the District.

Mr Nkhoma said the procurement guidelines given by the line ministry required that funds be sent to schools and procurement be done by the provincial procurement committee.

He said without following the procedures, Petauke DEBS single sourced HiFi corp to supply the computers at K379,749 without obtaining any authority from the Zambia Procurement Authority and the balance of K77,000 was used on unrelated activities such as paying out of pocket allowances, subsistence allowances and fuel.

“This is contrary to the Public Procurement Act of 2008.The Nyimba DEBS similarly received funding of K164, 500 for procurement of the ICT –equipment for schools in the district. The DEBs did not advertise for the tender to supply the ICT-equipment but instead chose to use a simplified bidding process by inviting two companies to tender for the supply of ICT equipment. The DEBs procured 35 laptops at a cost of K164, 000 and the type of the laptops supplied did not meet the technical requirements specified by the Ministry,” he said.

On unretired accountable imprest for Lundazi District Community Medical office, Mr Nkhoma said an impress amounting to K48,608 was issued to an officer on August 4th 2015 to facilitate the consolidation of the 2016 to 2018 Action Plan.

He said the funds were meant to be paid as subsistence allowances for eight nights of which the activity only took four nights resulting in an overpayment of K22,800 to hotel where the activity was taking place stating that as of June 2016 the funds had not been recovered.

Mr Nkhoma said the perceived corruption during the auction of Government vehicles in Eastern Province should be investigated.

“Further CSPR has received complaints from members of the general public of perceived corruption regarding the auction of government vehicles which recently took place in Eastern Province which case may interest the Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate so as to ascertain the correct position regarding the auction sale of government vehicles which recently took place in Eastern Province,” he said.