A youth organization against corruption has appealed to President Edgar Lungu to elevate the portfolio of Director General at Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA) to the portfolio of Permanent Secretary level.
Zambia Youths in the fight against Corruption Executive Director Maurice Malambo says this is because the highest procurement authority in the public sector is the Permanent Secretary.
Mr. Malambo says this will help in prudent management of public funds.
Mr. Malambo has also acknowledged the intervention by President Lungu towards building capacity in the management of public resources in response to the misconduct as captured in the Auditor General’s Report by effecting some organizational structural adjustments in the public sector.
“Early last week, the President elevated the position of Internal Finance Auditor to the portfolio of Director level. This structural adjustment in the administrative authority in the public sector is a direct response to notable administrative lapses and imbalances leading to the illicit leakages and maladministration of public resources,” he noted.
He also acknowledged the action by the President, early this year when he alleviated the position of Internal Audit Controller to Permanent Secretary level in order to build capacity in cubing financial misconduct by some civil servants arising from some administrative lapses.
“Whereas the decision by the President mid this year, to alleviate the portfolio of Director of E-governance to Permanent Secretary level and the capacitation of this department in implementing its mandate has made government to record significant financial servings, increased transparency and eased up the interaction with the public in the delivery of services in various departments of government such as in the implementation of the E- voucher in the agricultural sector, electronic pay slips for public workers, on-line tax transactions by the Zambia Revenue Authority, Pension Fund Authorities and others, the introduction of efficient payment modes in some selected government departments such as some Police stations, Passport office and others, meant to ensure that all revenue is deposited into the coffers of government (Control 99),” he said.
“We therefore, on conviction that technology has come to stay, advise that government in conjunction with other relevant stakeholders should progressively invest into cyber literacy and security.”
Mr. Malambo has since commended the suspension and dismissal of some officers engaging in financial misconduct in line with some provisions of the Public Finance Management Act.

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