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Service Commission has dismissed the initial report by auditors from Ernest and Young of India, saying it was flawed.
Finance Minister Tendai Biti has been refusing to increase civil servants’ salaries, arguing that there are 75 000 ghost workers.
However, Public Service Acting Minister Nelson Chamisa on Wednesday said the verification exercise would be done by the PSC and the Health Service Board before being tabled in Cabinet.
Minister Chamisa also confirmed that civil servants would receive another salary increment early next year.
“In fact, there was a meeting on the 1st of July and there was an agreement in terms of the increase which was on the 1st of July, 2011. But suffice to say there is going to be the next review for 2012,” he said.
Consultations would be done during the budget preparation process, which is currently under way to ensure that an agreed position is reached before January 2012.
Minister Chamisa was responding to questions from Bulawayo South MP, Mr Edward Cross (MDC-T) and Mberengwa South legislator Cde Ellina Shirichena (Zanu-PF) during the question and answer session.
Mr Cross asked Minister Chamisa when results of the civil service audit would be published. He also asked the minister to explain why its recommendations had been stalled.
Minister Chamisa, however, said after the presentation of the Payroll and Skills Audit report with the assistance of auditors from Ernest and Young of India, Cabinet had directed that an inter-ministerial committee come up with an agreed way forward on the implementation of the audit findings and recommendations.
“It was found necessary for the auditors to present their findings to the inter-ministerial committee, Public Service Commission and Health Services Board.
“The Audit Report, Volume I of III was presented to the IMC and other relevant stakeholders during the period 9 to 11 May 2011,” he said.
“Based on the Auditors’ recommendations, it was found necessary that a verification exercise be undertaken.”
He said a verification exercise and input from the Public Service Commission and Health Services Board would be submitted to Cabinet for consideration.
The PSC, early this year, slammed the skills and manpower audit report by Ernest and Young of India as flawed.
The PSC said the auditors had ignored their terms of reference given by Cabinet.
The commission said there was lack of transparency in terms of reference, methodology and data requirements.
Online Reporter