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The government has expressed serious concern over public resource mismanagement outlined in the Auditor General’s 2023 report, prompting calls for reforms to tighten accountability.
Secretary to the Cabinet, Patrick Kangwa, speaking at the opening of a 10-day training programme for 976 Ministry of Education accountants at the National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA) in Lusaka, highlighted a range of audit queries affecting various ministries, provinces and agencies.
“The report reveals audit issues such as fund misapplication, failure to account for equipment, wasteful and fraudulent spending, missing payment vouchers, and unaccounted-for stores,” Kangwa stated.
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He attributed some of the concerns in the Ministry of Education to inadequate training among officers managing resources, particularly at the school level, and urged non-accounting staff handling public funds to ensure responsible management.
“This is why the government is investing in equipping officers with basic accounting knowledge to support a transparent and effective public finance management system,” he noted.
NIPA Executive Director, Shakumenzya Malungo, stated that the institution was prepared to tackle issues causing poor performance in public institutions, with 21,000 accounting and non-accounting officers set to receive training nationwide through the Ministry of Finance and the Accountant General’s office.
The training initiative, starting in Lusaka and extending to Chongwe, Chilanga, and Kafue, will cover 30 days.
Malungo stated that the programme aimed to provide officers with the skills to reduce audit queries and curb corruption in public finance management.
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