By JULIUS PHIRI –
THE Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) in Eastern Province is deeply concerned that public funds meant for poverty reduction programmes have continued to be misapplied by people entrusted to run the public service.
CSPR provincial coordinator, Maxson Nkhoma said yesterday that the revelations in the 2012 Auditor General report on how funds meant for poverty reduction programmes in Eastern Province were mismanaged in various line ministries was disheartening.
Mr Nkhoma said there was urgent need for the provincial controlling officer to put in place austerity measures that would help address misuse of public funds in the province.
He said CSPR was saddened to note that some Government departments were not following laid down tender procedures in awarding Government contracts to suppliers.
“CSPR is saddened to note that some Government departments were not following laid down tender procedures in awarding Government contracts to suppliers.
“The Auditor General’s report indicates that Katete District Medical Office did not follow tender procedures in awarding a Government contract worth K83, 510 while Mwami School of Nursing failed to follow tender procedures when awarding a contract worth K30, 209 Contrary to the Public Procurement Act of 2008,”he said.
Mr Nkhoma said willful failure to follow laid down Government tender procedure was an abrogation of the Public Procurement Regulations of 2011 that required procuring entities to take into account any applicable Government regulations before awarding a contract.
He said it was unfortunate that a total of K64, 423 worth of drugs went unaccounted for in Lundazi, Nyimba District Medical Offices and St Francis Mission Hospital.
In the agriculture sector, he said CSPR was concerned that farming inputs which included maize seed and fertiliser worth K454,310 involving Chipata, Petauke and Katete districts were delivered as late as March 31 to farmers in the 2012/ 13 farming season contrary to Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) guidelines number 8. 1, 7.
He said CSPR was working with law enforcement agencies such as the Anti-Corruption Commission(ACC), Zambia Police Service, Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) and the provincial Auditor General’s office to follow ups some of the cases cited in the 2012 Auditor General’s report.
He said that such reports were bordering on theft by public servant and corruption hence should be opened for possible investigations and arrest of the perpetrators.