Auditor Generals’ report should be acted upon-NGOCC

The Non-Governmental Organisations Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has called on relevant authorities to ensure that all public officers involved in the financial irregularities mentioned in the Auditor General’s report are pursued.

And the Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) has urged civil society organisations to unite and demand that law enforcement agencies act on the Auditor General’s report.

Speaking to ZANIS in an interview, NGOCC Board Chairperson, Beatrice Grillo called for the police to visit all erring officers because this was the only way of bringing accountability in the way public resources were managed.

Ms. Grillo expressed concern at the continued revelations of discrepancies in the management of public funds, a situation she said has become a trend.

She said it was unfortunate that in past years, revelations of the Auditor General’s report have not been taken seriously by law enforcement agencies thereby making the report ineffective.

Ms. Grillo said the country cannot afford to continue losing huge sums of money at the hands of a few public officers when many citizens were still living in abject poverty.

She has since called on law enforcement agencies to investigate the revelations and act accordingly.

And speaking in a separate interview, CSPR Executive Director, Mwila Mulumbi said civil society organisations play a huge role in determining how cases in the Auditor General’s report are handled.

Ms. Mulumbi explained that the report will remain ineffective unless it was acted upon.

She has therefore implored other civil society organisations to keep pushing for action against erring officers.

She said there was also need for the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to take keen interest in the revelations in the Auditor General’s report and take necessary action.

Ms. Mulumbi said the law should be able to take its course equally on all public officers regardless of what office they hold.