By CHUSA SICHONE –
GOVERNMENT has challenged the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) to take keen interest in studying the Auditor General’s report and investigate financial irregularities it highlights.
Meanwhile, the Commission has launched a three-year strategic plan which provides direction and mechanisms to fight illegal drug trade and money laundering crimes.
Officiating at the DEC 15th senior officers’ conference in Lusaka yesterday, Home Affairs Minister Ngosa Simbyakula commended the Commission on the efforts to investigate cases of financial misappropriation in the public sector.
Dr Simbyakula observed that the Auditor General’s reports had continued to reveal glaring financial misuse.
“Therefore, I call upon you and your team to intensely study these reports and investigate possible financial misconduct in order to preserve and protect the country’s financial resources,” he said.
Dr Simbyakula was, however, happy to note that the Commission was leading by example in the prudent use of public resources as it was not cited in the 2011 and 2012 Auditor General’s reports for financial misappropriation.
He also commended the DEC for the achievements it recorded last year in combating illicit drugs despite the various challenges it had continued to face.
He was glad that the DEC had in 2013 signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Bank of Zambia in its effort to enhance the fight against financial crimes and protect the country’s economy.
On the DEC strategic plan, Dr Simbyakula said it could not have come at a better time than now when the world was experiencing an increase in the production and abuse of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS).
He said there was need to inform the public that NPS might pose a public health threat. He was saddened that young people in Zambia were abusing substances
such as Bolstic, glue, nail polish remover and Jenkem while others had resorted to abusing prescription drugs like Benylin.
DEC Commissioner Alita Mbahwe said the Commission had embarked on investigating financial misappropriation cases from the Auditor General’s findings and that it was investigating six cases from the 2011 the report, while it was still studying the 2012 report for possible investigations.
