Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development Permanent Secretary Maambo Haamaundu has urged accountants in Local Authorities to ensure accountability and transparency in the utilization and management of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
Mr Haamaundu said the role of accountants in the usage of CDF is critical in ensuring that every Kwacha and Ngwee is accounted for in accordance with the Public Finance Management Act No.1 of 2018 based on the principles of fiscal discipline, prudence, equity and transparency.
He was speaking during the official opening of a five-day Capacity Building workshop on CDF Guidelines and procedures, and roll-out of CDF software dubbed CDF Pro-Version-1 in Kafue District.
The participants, main accountants, are from Local Authorities in Lusaka and Eastern provinces while other accountants from various provinces would also attend similar workshops.
“Therefore, put in your best, be diligent as you perform the accounting role,”Mr. Haamaundu stated.
Mr Haamaundu further implored the accountants to take keen interest in contract management and projects implementation as well as knowing the status of each project at any given time to actualize the overall objectives of the CDF.
He reminded the accountants to ensure that all the registers for CDF beneficiaries of loans, grants and bursaries are well maintained and updated.
On financial reporting, he implored the accountants to regularly submit reports within given deadlines stipulated in the Treasury and Financial Management Circular No.8 of 2022.
Mr Haamaundu said the Central Government, Members of Parliament, Civil Society Organizations, Cooperating Partners and the people of Zambia would rely on the CDF reports to determine the utilization of the fund.
He said the Government has prioritized CDF as a major driver for attaining development, reducing poverty and supporting job creation through citizen engagement and participation in communities.
A statement from Chila Namaiko, the Ministry of Local Government Public Relations Officer, said in order to actualize Decentralization in line with the Constitution of Zambia, the Government decided to take significant resources from the National to local Government levels in an effort to spread development to every corner of the country.
The scope for CDF has been expanded to cover three specific areas namely; community projects, youth, women and community empowerment and secondary school and skills development bursaries.
The loophole through which Government loses large amounts of money is in procurement. This is were prices are inflated and dubious companies awarded. The accountant is just a record keeper. If an invoice for K10,000 is submitted for payment for an item that costs K1,000 on the open market, the accountant doesn’t have the mandate to refuse to pay as long as 2 other supporting quotations are attached. So target the procurement process if you want to reduce financial leakages. Stores officers fall under procurement and they’re the chaps that receive and accept substandard and sometimes expired goods
Correct. Just to add that there is a code of silence. “Ometa” Big fish give verbal instructions to junior subordinates to carry what you have described
Accounting by nature comes at the tail end of transactions. What are you doing to ensure that procurement audits are being carried out? Because word has already spread that cooperatives from Lusaka that are aligned stand to benefit.
Only t0ngas at this ministry