It is clear that these offices are deeply mired in corruption. The fact that, as the report points out, they failed to account for huge sums of money is an indication that a lot of under-the-carpet dealings are taking place. In many cases, ministries have given loans, procured high value property and disbursed large sums of money without any records. Worse still, some departments do not keep registers of their assets, possibly because they want to avoid scrutiny regarding the property they acquire.
It is indeed disturbing that even the finance ministry, under whose charge the treasury falls, is one of the main culprits. It has failed to keep basic records of public expenditure, making transparency and accountability difficult. There is poor management of funds across the board.
For instance, the war veterans fund does not keep records of how the money that has been disbursed to beneficiaries is being used, or whether it is being used for the intended purposes. The fund does not even show which schools have received money for the children of ex-fighters. Even the president’s office has not been spared, with the AG pointing out that it is making unilateral decisions regarding asset allocation and clearly abusing state property.
We find it confusing that the government departments continue to engage in poor governance practices despite the AG making a detailed catalogue of the shortcomings year in and year out. They just don’t seem to care. Ultimately, the blame must lie with the President, who is the CEO of this country. He must not let these things continue. The fact that he is not taking action against the many departments could mean that either he doesn’t appreciate the gravity of the matter or that he is also a collaborator, considering especially that his own office has been fingered.
Efforts have been made in the past to establish a governance code. That process has moved in fits and starts and, up to now, there doesn’t seem to be the will to make the code functional. Yet matters of governance should be prioritised all the time. Good governance in public bodies is critical as it fosters a good perception that is needed to attract meaningful investment and promote efficiency, effectiveness and productivity.
Post published in: Editor: Wilf Mbanga