By MOSES  CHIMFWEMBE –
THE National Paralympics Committee (NPC) affiliates are up in arms and calling for the dissolution of the board for allegedly failing to account for more than K100,000.
In 2012, Government released K82,000 to NPC to facilitate the national team’s participation at the 14th edition of the summer Paralympic Games that took place in London while a further K20,000 was given to the body last year for the purpose of holding an elective annual general meeting (AGM).
The London 2012 Games saw the Zambia paralympians dressed in Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) attire and were almost ejected from the Games by the organisers because of the FAZ logo and were ordered to buy new kit.
The NPC board has, however, not produced both audited and unaudited financial reports at the previous two AGMs, prompting persistent revolts from the affiliates.
Board president Sara Brotherton, who was treasurer at the time, said all financial reports under scrutiny were submitted to the Ministry of Sports, despite the decision being against the NPC constitution that requires financial statements to be presented to the general conference.
“As far as I am concerned, all the reports (financial) including the report on the 2012 London outing are at the Ministry of Sports,” Brotherton said yesterday.
But surprisingly, there are no records at the secretariat to back the NPC’s financial transaction in the last three years and the current treasurer Jane Banda has no clue.
According to the secretariat staff, there was no hand-over of financial books to Banda when she took over from Brotherton.
NPC currently receives a monthly grant of K5,000 directly from the Ministry of Finance for upkeep while the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sports (NIF) withdrew its support due to lack of transparency and accountability.
“Our levels of accountability are too low and that’s the reason why we have failed to attract sponsorship from donors because each time we make attempts, they always ask for audited financial reports. At the secretariat, there’s no trace of any documentation that indicate our incomes or expenditures,” the source said.
Munali Girls chairperson Lackson Chipato, one of the 26 affiliates who petitioned for the dissolution of the board, said clubs have been demanding to know how the funds were being utilised but to no avail.
“As members, we need to have a clear picture on the financial standing of the organisation, the issue of financial reports has dragged on for so long and the common practice is that all financial queries are supposed to be resolved at the AGM,” Chipato said.
NPC spokesperson Clement Chanda said the organisation was clean and that all financial issues had been handled properly.
“I think the financial report was presented at the last AGM even though I walked out but I am sure it was presented and it is currently at the ministry. The London report was presented to the ministry that same year. The K20,000 we received last year came after the AGM and it was properly utilised,” Chanda said.
He said most of the clubs that were calling for the financial report were not members of NPC as they have not paid their affiliation fees.
Meanwhile, a source at the Ministry of Sport said the financial statements had not reached the ministry and that the Brotherton-led board had been given a one-month ultimatum in which to produce the reports.
Last week, the board bowed to pressure to remove Jonathan Chipalo, who was also made signatory to the NPC bank accounts contrary to the constitution that only empowers the president, vice president, general secretary and treasurer to do so, from the board.