Should ministers respond to CAG’s report in media? This is what they say….
What you need to know:
- Leaders have however differed on how the issues should be handled. Below are some of the quotes from various leaders:
Dar es Salaam. Since the Controller and Auditor General (CAG), Prof Mussa Assad, submitted his audit report for the 2016/17 financial to Parliament, three ministers have convened meeting with journalists to explain some of the raised issue.
Leaders have however differed on how the issues should be handled. Below are some of the quotes from various leaders:
"Just as the law does not bar the CAG from talking to the media, the same law does not bar the ministers from giving their views in the media about the CAG report," Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Dr Tulia Ackson.
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"Because it's not wise to argue with the speaker's chair, let's agree to disagree on this matter," Arumeru East MP, Joshua Nassari.
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“The cabinet ministers were violating the Public Audit Act of 2008 by responding to the CAG report. The law requires only the accounting officers to do so….It is the role of the accounting officers[not the cabinet minister] to respond to the issues raised by the CAG and have to present this to the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the Local Authorities Accounts Committee(LAAC,” ACT Wazalendo Party leader, Zitto Kabwe.
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“It is wrong for the ministers to approach the CAG’s report by calling a press conference to respond to the concerns raised during national auditing. The CAG’s report is a parliamentary report…there are set procedures of how it is supposed to be received and how the issues raised must be worked upon…it can’t be responded to just anyhow,” PAC chairperson, Ms Naghenjwa Kaboyoka
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“After a national audit has been conducted, it’s the duty of the CAG himself or herself to state how the issues raised have been worked on, not the one who was audited…and that only happens after the CAG is satisfied with the level of implementation, after another verification…’’ former CAG, Mr Ludovic Utouh
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“We are borrowing a leaf from other countries. There is no reason why the government should keep quiet, while it has answers on whatever has been raised by the CAG,” Information, Culture, Arts and Sports Minister, Dr Harrison Mwakyembe
