ZAMMSA HAS BEEN BANKRUPT SINCE 2015, SAYS FIRED DG
FORMER Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) Director General Victor Nyasulu has broken his silence following his dismissal, accusing the government agency of being technically bankrupt since 2015.
Nyasulu’s remarks come months after a major scandal involving 61 missing trucks of medicines rocked the agency, culminating in his firing and the dissolution of the board led by Anna Chifungula.
Nyasulu claimed that when he became DG for the agency, he discovered deep financial mismanagement which he says had been there for years.
“When I became DG, I noticed that ZAMMSA’s books were in a mess and this issue dates back to 2015. There was technical insolvency, technical bankruptcy because as a government institution, ZAMMSA wasn’t being held accountable for unpaid obligations to entities like NAPSA and ZRA and with political interference, you never get shut down,” said Nyasulu.
According to Nyasulu, ZAMMSA’s funding has been woefully insufficient to meet the rising demands.
He alleged that the agency has been struggling to survive and nothing was being done.
“ZAMMSA has been struggling just to survive. We have been operating with only K42.6 million for the year, while monthly salaries alone are over K7 million. The agency’s survival has hinged on the goodwill of cooperating partners like the Global Fund, the US government, and CHAZ,” said Nyasulu.
He claimed that there were attempts for him to rectify the situation at hand but they were thwarted.
In November last year, after much back and forth with the Ministry of Finance, ZAMMSA finally secured an eight percent allocation for procurement and management.
However, the former DG alleged that then Health minister Sylvia Masebo intervened and instructed the Treasury to cancel their request.
“From January to July this year, we wrote over 20 letters to the Ministry of Finance, pleading for funds. But Masebo didn’t believe we needed the money, she thought we were just being extravagant,” he explained.
“And she also said she didn’t believe that ZAMMSA could be bankrupt for years saying that it had never happened before.”
He revealed that his dismissal from the agency was based on alleged gross negligence
which he insists to have been made a scapegoat which has taken a toll on his professional reputation.
Kalemba
This doesnt explain the 61 missing trucks laddened with medicine, sir!
Unless you are telling me that bailiffs were responisible for this but court action would have been required and Masebo would not have ignored that.
So your explaination speaks to one issue but leaves out alot
The gentleman needs to be heard. He sounds genuine to me. Iam also impressed by his boldness.
Maybe he was sacrificed on the political altar. A scapegoat.