SPEECH BY HIS EXCELLENCY MR. RUPIAH B. BANDA, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA, ON THE OCCASION OF THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE MANSA PROVINCIAL AUDIT OFFICE BUILDING – FEBRUARY 12TH, 2010
CABINET MINISTERS PRESENT,
THE PROVINCIAL MINISTER,
YOUR EXCELLENCIES,
YOUR WORSHIP THE MAYOR OF MANSA,
THE SECRETARY TO THE CABINET,
THE AUDITOR GENERAL,
PERMANENT SECRETARIES,
CHIEFS PRESENT,
DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
IT IS WITH MUCH PLEASURE THAT TODAY THE 12TH OF JANUARY, 2010 WE ARE OFFICIALLY COMMISSIONING THE PROVINCIAL AUDIT OFFICE BUILDING FOR MANSA.
AS YOU ARE ALREADY AWARE, MY GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED TO THE PROMOTION OF GOOD GOVERNANCE, ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY. THIS COMMITMENT IS DEMONSTRATED IN THE FACT THAT, IN 2006 WHEN WE RE-INTRODUCED THE CONCEPT OF NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS (NDP), A FULL CHAPTER ON GOOD GOVERNANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY WAS INCLUDED IN THE FIFTH NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN. ADDITIONALLY, A MULTI-REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNANCE ADVISORY GROUP WAS CONSTITUTED TO SPEARHEAD, IN A COORDINATED MANNER, THE ISSUES OF GOOD GOVERNANCE, TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. USING THIS APPROACH, IT IS THE RESOLVE OF THIS GOVERNMENT THAT WE TAKE THE DEVELOPMENT AGENDA OF THIS COUNTRY FORWARD IN AN ACCOUNTABLE AND TRANSPARENT MANNER.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
YOU WILL ALSO NOTE THAT AMONGST THE INSTITUTIONS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE FIFTH NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (FNDP) WHICH IS NOW BEING REVISED TOWARDS THE SIXTH NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (SNDP), IS THE OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR GENERAL. IT IS, THEREFORE, WITH A LOT OF PRIDE THAT TODAY WE ARE ABLE TO COMMISSION THE BUILDING FOR THIS OFFICE IN MANSA. LUAPULA PROVINCE SHOULD NOT BE LEFT OUT IN THE AUDITOR GENERAL’S RESOLVE TO FOLLOW THE KWACHA WHEREVER IT GOES AND TO ENSURE THAT ALL RESOURCES ARE PRUDENTLY USED. THIS WILL BE A CLEAR DEMONSTRATION THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO THE TENETS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
A STRENGTHENED EXTERNAL AUDIT FUNCTION OF THE GOVERNMENT IS IMPORTANT IN THAT IT ASSISTS IN ENHANCING ACCOUNTABILITY FOR PUBLIC RESOURCES. IT IS, THEREFORE, IMPERATIVE THAT WE HAVE A STRONG, OBJECTIVE AND TECHNICALLY COMPETENT OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR GENERAL. THIS IS WHY MY GOVERNMENT IS IN SUPPORT OF BOTH THE INCREASED AUDIT COVERAGE AND THE TECHNICAL COMPETENCE OF THAT OFFICE.
ACCORDINGLY, MY GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN SPEARHEADING THE RESTRUCTURING OF THE OFFICE TO THE EXTENT THAT WITH A FULL STAFF COMPLEMENT, THE OFFICE SHOULD AS OF NOW HAVE FIVE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY EMPLOYEES FULLY QUALIFIED TO CARRY OUT VARIOUS TYPES OF AUDITS.
IN ADDITION, MY GOVERNMENT, WITHIN THE OVERALL PUBLIC EXPENDITURE MANAGEMENT AND FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY REFORMS (PEMFAR), COMMITTED ITSELF TO ENHANCING THE INSTITUTIONAL CAPABILITY OF THE AUDITOR GENERAL BY CONSTRUCTING BUILDINGS FOR AUDIT OFFICES IN FIVE OF OUR PROVINCIAL CENTRES. THESE ARE NAMELY, KASAMA, MANSA, SOLWEZI, MONGU AND CHIPATA. WE ALSO COMMITTED OURSELVES TO THE EXTENSION OF THE HEAD-QUARTERS AT A TOTAL COST OF MORE THAN SEVENTEEN BILLION KWACHA. IN ADDITION, A TOTAL OF TWENTY THREE MOTOR VEHICLES WERE PROCURED FOR USE BY THESE PROVINCIAL OFFICES. OUR POLITICAL WILL TO IMPROVE THE GOVERNANCE OF THIS COUNTRY AND TO IMPLEMENT VARIOUS REFORMS HAS CAUSED THE WORK OF THE AUDITOR-GENERAL TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
AS AN EXECUTIVE ARM OF GOVERNMENT, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT WE SHALL WORK TOGETHER IN GUARDING THE RESOURCES OF THIS COUNTRY SO THAT TOGETHER WE CAN ALL ENJOY THE FRUITS OF A DEVELOPED ZAMBIA THROUGH PRUDENT FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE AUDIT OFFICE IN KASAMA, I MENTIONED THE CONCERNS THAT I AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC HAD REGARDING THE MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC RESOURCES. AS WE OPEN ANOTHER AUDIT BUILDING, I WISH TO REITERATE THAT IT IS NOT GOOD THAT YEAR IN, YEAR OUT, THE SAME NEGATIVE ISSUES ARE BROUGHT OUT IN THE REPORTS OF THE AUDITOR-GENERAL AND IN PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE’S DELIBERATIONS. I, THEREFORE, WISH TO WARN ALL CONTROLLING OFFICERS TO DESIST FROM REPEATING THE SAME IRREGULARITIES. I ALSO WISH TO ADD THAT ALL PARASTATAL CHIEFS, COMMISSIONS AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS THAT RECEIVE PUBLIC FUNDS MUST BE PROMPT IN SUBMITTING THEIR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND BE ACCOUNTABLE TO THEIR PARENT MINISTRIES. AS I HAVE ALREADY STATED, THE OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR-GENERAL HAS EXPANDED ITS CAPACITIES AND IS NOW PRESENT IN ALL PROVINCIAL CENTRES.
MADAM AUDITOR GENERAL, INVITED GUESTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
MY GOVERNMENT HAS PUT IN PLACE LAWS AND SYSTEMS TO STRENGTHEN INSTITUTIONS AND PREVENT CORRUPTION, ABUSE OF OFFICE AND OTHER IRREGULARITIES IN PUBLIC AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS. WHAT I NOW EXPECT, THEREFORE, IS TOTAL ADHERENCE TO THE SAME.
LET ME THANK OUR CO-OPERATING PARTNERS PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN CONTRIBUTING THROUGH PEMFA FOR THEIR UNWAVERING SUPPORT TO MY GOVERNMENT GENERALLY AND TO THE OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR GENERAL IN PARTICULAR. I WISH TO ASSURE YOU THAT YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE GOOD GOVERNANCE OF THIS COUNTRY IS NOT IN VAIN. I, THEREFORE, IMPLORE YOU TO CONTINUE WITH YOUR GOOD GESTURES.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
WITH THESE REMARKS I WISH TO DECLARE THIS BUILDING OFFICIALLY OPENED.
I THANK YOU AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
