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Farirai Machivenyika-Senior Reporter
THE Office of the Auditor-General is facing a critical shortage of staff and is operating with 125 vacant posts, which has a negative impact on its ability to fulfil its mandate, Acting Auditor General, Mrs Rheah Kujinga, has said.
Presenting the office’s 2024 budget expectations to Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee this week, Mrs Kujinga said the office’s staff establishment is currently 381 with 256 members being in post resulting in 125 vacant posts to be filled.
“The filling of the vacant posts is critical to do a reasonable audit coverage and do justice to its mandate. The audit coverage includes the audits for ministries, departments, agencies, head offices and outstations in provinces and districts.
“Also lack of capacity in terms of staff members has forced the office to outsource the audits of some local authorities and public entities,” she said.
The Auditor General was given by Treasury a budget ceiling of $41,1 billion against a bid of $135 billion with the allocation translating to 30 percent of the office’s requirements.
Mrs Kujinga said the office welcomed the appointment of a board for the organisation as this would enable it to complete the new structure for the office.
“The office carried out a job evaluation which brought about the need for a new organisational structure and establishment. When fully implemented the organisational structure will anchor the office strategy. The appointment of the board, which has since commenced work, gives impetus to critical areas which had been held in abeyance for some time.”
“These include the filling of critical posts and the creation of a performance audit or value for money department. The critical posts that are required for the efficient running of the office are among others: director information technology, director human resources, director legal services, director procurement, director quality and assurance. Staff to support these critical areas is also required.
“The office therefore intends to create and fill 78 posts for these functional areas. The critical posts need budgetary support,” she said.
The acting Auditor General also said they had embarked on a digitalisation programme which will accelerate the automation of all activities of the Audit Office.
She said currently, the office’s operations were on manual system and would want to optimise information systems to improve audits through going paperless in line with international accounting and auditing standards.
Online Reporter