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Fortious Nhambura Features Writer
Recent revelations of mega salaries and illicit multi-million dollar contracts that do not go to tender coupled with massive corruption in government-related companies are worrying, hence the need for an urgent remedy. They reflect deep rooted misgovernance that has entrenched itself in the country’s State enterprises.
Needless to say it also reflects badly on the calibre of the people appointed to boards of State enterprises.
The few companies that have been under the spotlight clearly show that those who have been tasked to monitor executive and management at State companies are not doing their job and thus deserve the sack.
It clearly shows complicity with the executives in defrauding State companies.
Zimbabwe has no place for people who masquerade as bona-fide board members when they are accomplices in the looting of public resources.
It is disheartening that State companies’ directors have chosen to bury their heads in the sand while the State enterprises are creamed of resources and assets. Could it be that they were too timid to demand action or were benefiting from the illegal dealings taking place in parastatals?
If they are not part of the rot, they have indeed slept on duty and do not deserve a further stay.
Board members cannot keep a straight face and feign ignorance of all the plunder that is taking place at State enterprises when they are appointed to monitor the operations of management at the companies.
They are appointed to give direction on how the companies are run and to see to it that the goals and mission of the company are fulfilled.
The objective of State companies is to offer a service to the nation and judging from Government reports, most of which are now in the public domain, most have failed to do just that.
The fact that boards allowed management in public entities to award themselves such scandalous salaries is a definite cause for alarm.
It is horrifying to know that besides salaries, everything else was being inflated!
The procurement process was abused at all levels to ensure that the management and some board members illegally benefited from the transactions.
The board members, particularly chairperson and vice chairperson, should answer to the same questions that the public are directing to the chief executive officers.
In fact, all boards should be fired and made to account for the pilfering of resources taking place right under their noses. They do not deserve to remain in these boards because they are guilty of not doing their job, which is to protect the public interest in the State enterprises.
The decision by the Ministries of Health and Child Care and that of Transport and Infrastructural Development to dissolve PSMAS and Air Zimbabwe boards is most welcome and should be a precursor to what is to come. It shows that at least Government is serious in arresting the rot at some of these parastatals.
State enterprises are critical in the recovery of the economy and it is vital that they start pumping now. It is naïve to think State companies can meaningfully contribute to national development when they are under the stewardship of these boards.
The only way the Government can stop the rot and give State utilities a new start is to remove the remnants of the team that presided over these massive scams. Their members should be barred from ever holding chairmanship posts in the State-related companies as they showed themselves unworthy of public trust. Zimbabwe’s economy, whether driven through Zim-Asset or any other blueprint, can never be fixed by this level of corporate decay.
The nation eagerly waits to see who is appointed into the new boards.
The investigation into the salaries and ongoing exposures of the rot in parastatals gives Government an opportunity to correct corporate governance in all State-related enterprises.
Many people wonder why some individuals have sat on boards for over a decade when the companies are failing to keep afloat.
Why do some people sit on five state company boards at the same time?
What justification is there for their continued stay in boardrooms when they superintendent over a sinking ship?
Online Reporter