A Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front legislator Reuben Marumahoko says it will be difficult to curb misuse of government funds as long as the culprits are not brought to book.
“For so many times, the Public Account Committee has reported that ministries are not taking seriously the reports from the Auditor General, that is the qualified accounts,” he said during the debate on the report of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.
“We have reported time and again and no action has been taken. No reprimands have been proffered to the ministries, it is always silent. I think it is important that all those ministries or the permanent secretaries that reported to have not taken note of the disqualification of their accounts; some action be taken so that this should not recur time and again.”
Marumahoko sid one of the problems was that the Ministry of Finance was paying suppliers directly. This made it difficult for line ministries to follow all their accounts.
Contribution
HON. MARUMAHOKO: Thank you Madam Speaker. The report that has been presented to the House by the Chairperson of the Public Accounts Portfolio Committee, the observations that we have heard her expressing here are almost observations that are always reported by the Committee from every Ministry without any change year in, year out. If you look at the way the Ministry of Industry’s accounts were run, you may try to blame the Ministry but it was the system that was introduced by the whole Government, that of direct payment to the debtors. It is very difficult for anyone to maintain the books when payment is being made direct by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development. It is very difficult to follow the events, very difficult to follow all the accounts if payments are made by Treasury.
HON. MUTSEYAMI: On a point of order Madam Speaker. My point of order is very precise and short. In the gallery we have a Chief and he has not yet been recognised. So, as MDC we need to recognise the Chief.
Hon. Members started clapping and ululating in respect of the Chief.
THE TEMPORARY SPEAKER: Thank you very much Hon. Mutseyami, it has been noted but we were still waiting for the name from the Public Relations Office.
HON. MARUMAHOKO: Madam Speaker, for so many times, the Public Account Committee has reported that Ministries are not taking seriously the reports from the Auditor General, that is the qualified accounts. We have reported time and again and no action has been taken. No reprimands have been proffered to the Ministries, it is always silent. I think it is important that all those Ministries or the Permanent Secretaries that reported to have not taken note of the disqualification of their accounts; some action be taken so that this should not recur time and again.
Madam Speaker, you have heard of some unidentified deposits, that is a very serious observation. Unidentified receipts or monies that have been deposited may end up as fraud because nobody knows where this money came from and nobody knows what to do with the money but the money has been deposited, where did it come from. It has been very difficult for the Ministry of Industry and Commerce to trace the money up to the time we produced this report, none of the money was identified, where it came from, what it meant and what it is supposed to be used for. Those are very serious anomalies in accounts. Ministries should take very seriously these reports from the Auditor General. All in all, I need to thank our Chairperson for a job well done. This is a report that the House should really look into and then adopt it. I thank you.
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