Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament on Wednesday emphasized the need for Ministries, Departments and Agencies to be following all the guidelines when dealing with public funds allocated to them.
Chairperson for the committee Mark Botomani said this when his committee met officials from Ntcheu District Council when they appeared before the committee.
Ntcheu District Council was summoned to appear before the committee to respond to K19 million audit queries on Constituency Development Fund (CDF) projects.
“There is a need for all MDAs to be following guidelines and other instruments in public finance management to avoid such queries in future, ” said Botomani.
He said it was very serous anomaly that the committee would not tolerate without taking any step.
“The Committee wanted proper response to the query and what could do if there is evidence that there is such anomaly, concerned party is sent back to correct as we have done with the council, he added.
In his remarks, Ntcheu District Commissioner George Ngaiyaye promised to be following guidelines when handling public funds in order to earn trust.
“We really need to be serious when handling government business to avoid such audit queries in future, ” he said.
He, however, said there is a need to be realistic when costing any project including CDF.
Ngaiyaye further said the problem comes during the time the cost for the project is revised due to underestimation.
The council appeared before the committee to respond to audit query where it was established that they paid a contractor K19 million on unfinished CDF projects.
PAC is also expecting to meet Secretary to the President and Cabinet (SPC) on Saturday.
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