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Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
Legislators have called for the adequate funding of the Auditor-General’s Office, saying failure to do so would undermine Government’s thrust to fight corruption and promote good corporate governance in State entities.
They said the Auditor-General’s Office had been reduced to a training ground as experienced auditors were leaving for greener pastures.
Reports from the AG’s Office, led by Ms Mildred Chiri, have exposed a lot of financial impropriety, mismanagement, failure to follow laid down tender procedures in Government ministries, parastatals and local authorities.
Members of Parliament urged Treasury to reserve at least five percent of the total national budget for the AG, saying the $151 million allocated for the 2020 National Budget was not enough.
They said this last week in the National Assembly during debate on the Finance Bill which seeks to give legal effect on the various fiscal measures announced by Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube in the 2020 National Budget.
Chegutu West MP Cde Dexter Nduna (Zanu-PF) said: “It is my proposal that five percent of revenue generated in all Government departments be allocated to the Auditor-General. They can use that five percent coming from those departments that are going to be audited as a vehicle, pedestal and platform for carrying out their mandate.”
Norton MP Mr Temba Mliswa (independent) said the office was spending resources in sub-contracting audit firms owing to a staff shortage.
“If you read the (AG’s) report, they require 380 staff (members) and they have got 305,” he said
“There is a shortfall of 75, yet there is so much money spent in terms of sub-contracting work to other companies.
“I would like the minister to consider how much money is spent sub-contracting companies vis-à-vis putting it into the office.
“It really does not make any sense for you to give the money to sub-contractors.”
Gutu East MP Cde Berita Chikwama (Zanu-PF) said there was need to provide the office with adequate resources to efficiently discharge its duties.
“Some of the ministries are not audited for years because of lack of funds,” she said.
“We went to Zambia and visited the Auditor-General’s Office and we saw that the office was well-staffed and they were doing their job efficiently, even going to the lowest levels of society where you could also meet their staff in rural areas doing their job.
“Here in Zimbabwe, external firms are engaged, such as Ernst and Young.”
In response, Minister Ncube said Treasury increased the budget vote from $20 million this year to $151 million next year.
“We budgeted $20 million for the Auditor-General’s Office in 2019 and so far as of September, they had used $8 million, but I am sure they have used more now,” he said.
“I can assure you that in terms of budget, they have not run out of money.
“If they have run out of budget, then no one has briefed me about it. So we have been very diligent in making sure that they get their budget on time and stay within their budget. There is no issue around their budget.”
Marondera Central MP Mr Caston Matewu (MDC-Alliance) said the reason why the AG used less money was that Treasury was in the habit of disbursing the money late.
“They ended up not doing all the audits that they wanted to do.
“The problem is within the Treasury, that of not dispensing money on time.
“I implore the minister to give them the money that they need and if we can agree on $300 million as a starting point today, that would be good,” said Mr Matewu, who is a member of the Public Accounts Committee in which the Auditor-General sits.
Online Reporter