adminadequate remuneration to all Government workers, legislators said yesterday.
The MPs said this while contributing to a debate moved by Chiredzi West representative Mr Moses Mare (MDC-T), calling on Government to address the plight of civil servants, improve accountability of management of diamonds from Chiadzwa and address the issue of ghost workers on the civil service payroll.
Vice President Joice Mujuru and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai were in attendance during part of the debate.
Contributing to the debate, Zanu-PF chief whip Cde Joram Gumbo, said it was important for Government to ensure that proceeds from all resources benefited Zimbabweans.
“It is not a secret that our civil servants are finding it hard and failing to make ends meet because of the meagre salaries they are getting. I would also want to point out the motion is talking more about diamonds more than the suffering of civil servants.
“There is concentration on diamonds, why should we look at diamonds and not all the minerals? Why don’t we look at tobacco and everything that brings money to Treasury,” he said.
Cde Gumbo denied that there were ghost workers on Government’s payroll as clai-med by MDC-T.
Contributing to the debate, Mt Darwin East representative, Cde Betty Chikava (Zanu-PF) said the country’s wealth should benefit civil servants.
“Proceeds from all minerals and agricultural proceeds should be used to pay all civil servants, no one can work when they are hungry, we should be united to improve the plight of civil servants,” she said.
Moving the motion, Mr Mare said Government should ensure transparency in the way revenue from Chiadzwa diamonds was dealt with.
“There is enough money coming from Chiadzwa to pay the civil servants. Zimbabwe is the only country in the world where the value of opaque beer is more than the value of diamonds. Delta Beverages is contributing more to the economy than diamonds,” he said.
Mr Douglas Mwonzora (MDC-T Nyanga North) said all revenue collected by Government should be channelled towards improving the plight of civil servants and called for the removal of ghost workers from the civil service payroll.
He said there was no need to apportion blame for the conditions of service in the public sector to anyone, but called for a holistic approach in addressing their plight.
“We should look at the revenue we are realising from various sources. It is high time this revenue is identified and channelled to the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the improvement of conditions of service for the civil service,” he said.
Mr Mwonzora also called on Government to cut foreign trips by Government officials and reduce the number of people that travel on such assignments.
Mwenezi East representative Cde Kudakwashe Bhasikiti (Zanu-PF) said the poor remuneration of civil servants was a sign that the inclusive Government had failed.
Online Reporter