Veep urges new ministers to be open minded and to consult the technocrats

Vice President Mutale Nalumango has urged ministers to be open minded and to consult the technocrats when not clear as they take up their new roles.

Mrs Nalumango has further advised the ministers to make continuous reference to the provided materials during the induction meeting to ensure that there is no deviation from government procedures and processes.

The Vice President said this in Lusaka last evening when she closed the one day induction meeting for cabinet and provincial ministers at Mulungushi International Conference Center.

“You must all make continuous reference to the provided materials. I’m aware that you covered a lot of issues in this induction. The discussion in the structure of government and how the three arms of government relate is cardinal,” she noted.

And Mrs Nalumango indicated that it is important that both ministers ensure that they fully understand the separation of powers among the three arms of government.

“In this case of political and administrative interface, this matter is also equally important. I have been a minister before and I know that in some cases conflicts arise between ministers and permanent secretaries and other technocrats,” she stressed.

The Vice President added, “if not we’ll handled, this has the potential to derail service delivery. To avoid such situations, it is necessary to understand the different roles and responsibilities we all play in running government affairs.”

Meanwhile, Mrs Nalumango encouraged ministers, permanent secretaries and other officials to work in harmony in their ministries and provinces noting that the people of Zambia await provision of services from their new government.

She added that it is also of great importance that ministers understand the public finance and financial management, including the role of the auditor general as it will assist them on how to handle financial matters in their ministries and provinces.

“I’m sure that with this new knowledge, occurrences of financial misappropriation and misapplication shall be a thing of the past in our country especially with this new administration,” the Vice President said.

Mrs. Nalumango stated that it is only when the public service is operating efficiently and effectively that the people of Zambia can realise the much needed and awaited benefits.

The Vice President further urged the ministers to ensure that there is zero tolerance to corruption, prudence in the management of public finances and procurement processes.