CONTINUED DELAY TO APPOINT PERMANENT SECRETARIES IN VARIOUS MINISTRIES UNSETTLES TIZ
By Michael Kaluba
Transparency International Zambia-TIZ- says the delay
to appoint Permanent Secretaries in various ministries and Provincial Administrations has the potential to render challenges to accountability and anomalies in the audit process next year and before the Parliamentary Select Committee.
TIZ President Sampa Kalungu argues that having Acting
Permanent Secretaries has exposed these offices to a
possibility of misuse of public resources because those
acting might not perform as prudently as substantive
office bearers and has predicted difficulties for
appointed controlling officers to account for the
current period when others are acting.
Mr. Kalungu says recent sentiments by president Hakainde Hichilema that he is not in a hurry to
appoint permanent secretaries because he is currently
fixing the economy are worrying and could be
misconstrued for indecisiveness on such appointments
on his part.
He adds that having temporal controlling officers
remains a source of worry and has called on the head
of state to expedite these appointments.
PHOENIX NEWS