LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICE COMMISSION COMMENCES STAFF & QUALIFICATIONS AUDIT FOR COUNCILS
…move aimed at uprooting cadres from councils; LGSC says doesn’t want to rely on rumours, innuendos
Local Government Service Commission-LGSC-has embarked on its first-ever Human Resource Audit of all local authorities across the country aimed at establishing whether the staff occupying council offices have the right qualifications or not.
Addressing the Press at Lusaka City Council-LCC-chambers this afternoon, LGSC, Ackson Sejani says the numerous social media rumours, innuendos, speculations and mere perceptions that a lot of mischief characterised the local authorities in the country has necessitated the audit, whose time flame he said was yet to be determined.
Mr Sejani charged that the strong rumour that most local authority staff were cadres, employed in large numbers and not qualified to hold the positions they were holding was too strong to be ignored, adding that getting the right people to occupy public office was key in ensuring effective service delivery for the expectant, masses.
He stressed that it was only proper and prudent that the newly-established Commission established whether the right people with the prerequisite qualifications were occupying local authorities’ offices, or, to determine whether the “strong” rumour that most of those positions have been occupied by political party cadres were either false or in the affirmative.
He was among a number of commissioners from the LGSC among them his deputy, Brian Ndumba and Grace Chibwa.
Sejani charges that the finding at the Zambia’s major local Authority, LCC, will determine how and whether the Commission proceeds with conducting similar audits at the remaining 115 councils across the country.
And, asked on whether there will be punitive measures against council workers who will shy away from unveiling themselves for questioning before the Commission, Mr Sejani charged that “only ghosts who are not council employees will shun away from the on-going staff and qualifications audit”.
He emphasized that the findings at the largest local authority will form the basis for the interrogations of what was obtaining in the 116 local authorities across the country.
He said if it was established that a lot of staff were wanting in the local authorities as far as decentralisation policy was concerned, the Commission would ensure that it established the Human Resources Management Committee that would be empowered with the power to recruiting personnel in the local authorities.
UPND MEDIA TEAM
