Assets directorate ‘under funded’
Director of Public Assets Declaration Christopher Tukula has warned that inadequate budget funding to the directorate will lead to lack of security facilities and loss of information which undermines the whole declaration regime.
In the 2015/16 proposed National Budget, Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Goodall Gondwe has allocated approximately K300 million, almost three times less the amount it requested for assets verification which was K966 million, it has been established.
In a presentation to parliamentary cluster meetings, Tukula highlighted that the office requires a secure and robust storage infrastructure to preserve records from risks of fire, water and malicious damage.
He said: “Inadequate office furniture and equipment will lead to non-installation of Integrated Finance Management and Information System (Ifmis) computers; hence, no financial transactions and no operating base for staff.
“If the declaration data is not digitalised and with no back up facility, if such information is lost, there will be little chances of recovery.”
But Ministry of Finance spokesperson Nations Msowoya said: “It is not the intention of the Ministry of Finance to discuss budgetary issues with departments in the media. The issue of resource allocation will be dealt by the minister in his winding up speech in Parliament.
“However, for this particular case it is important for departments to appreciate that the country is facing resources constraints and what has been allocated to them and using them judiciously.”
According to the presentation, there is a deficit for ORT budget amounting to K765 989 000, representing 80 percent of total submitted estimates and the verification of declarations has a shortfall of K19 200 000.
The office started operations in September 2014 after the appointment of the director and his deputy in August 2014 by Public Appointments Committee (PAC) of Parliament.
