Pressure piles up against culprits implicated in CAG report

CAG Charles Kichere speaking to reporters in Dodoma on April 12, 2022

What you need to know:

  • Pressure is piling up for action to be taken against those implicated in the Controller and Auditor General (CAG) report, with more and more people calling for stern accountability measures against the malfeasance

Dar es Salaam. Stakeholders yesterday demanded government action against people implicated in the Controller and Auditor General (CAG) report for 2020/21, hence heaping accountability pressure.

The pressure was piled during the breakfast debate organised by Policy Forum after the Wajibu Institute of Public Accountability (Wipa) tabled its analysis on the CAG report.

In the analysis, Wajibu recommended several structural reforms and amendment of sections of the laws and an article of the United Republic’s Constitution.

Stakeholders pressure comes two days after CCM Vice Chairman (Mainland) Abdulrahman Kinana called for ruling party’s action against implicated public officials.

“How come every year we receive reports about misuse of public funds, but little is done,” he wondered.

But, debating the analysis, ACT-Wazalendo leader Zitto Kabwe said a similar report of public fund’s misuse was tabled in the CAG report 2012. “It was the time, Mr Utouh (Ludovick) was the CAG. Pressure exerted on the government led to the sacking of eight ministers. This year’s report is worse that of 2012,” said Mr Kabwe.

“My little experience in working with the CAG reports, I have never seen a report which is outright open than this, but until now no action has been taken,” he added.

Mr Kabwe said he hasn’t even seen the political accountability, noting that there was a need for measures to be taken even if they are not going to be similar to those taken in 2012.

According to him, the country needs to do something huge otherwise the situation would be worse next year.

Presenting the paper, Wajibu board chairman Yona Kallagane recommended citizens to constantly demand for accountability from duty bearers on collection and use of public resources entrusted to the government on their behalf.

“They should be involved in the budget processes, village meetings and other dialogue forums. The government should insist on citizen’s inclusiveness in implementation of development projects,” he said.

Tanzania Institute of Internal Auditors president Zelia Njeza said internal audit is an eye that provides assurance on internal control, governance and management.

“If the internal audit fails to provide control as required then something would be wrong somewhere. This could be on the shortage of human resource as cited by the CAG or inadequate supply of resources,” she said.

However, Mr Christopher Mageka of the Innovex Auditors deliberated on the possible cause of misappropriations reported by the CAG.

“Do we have proper laws, proper government structures and skills? We have to understand all these issues in order to get proper solutions,” he said.

But, Haki Maendeleo executive director Wilfred Warioba said in his reports the CAG should unveil institutions implicated in corruption because 13 percent loss in development funds was a huge amount.

“Citizens engagement is very crucial from the planning stage. Evaluation should be done by visiting documents in order to take the government accountable,” he said.

Reading the Wajibu recommendations, Mr Kallagane said the internal audit unit should be shifted to the Chief Secretary in order to give it more powers.

But, Mr Kabwe was of a view that the Chief Internal Auditor General was the one who should report to the Cabinet of Ministers to increase control and early measures of their findings.

“Although, I think studies are required, my opinion is that the CAG roles should be divided. Internal auditors should be given the control role that will definitely make them respectful,” he said.

Reading other recommendations, Mr Kallagane said Article 91(2-b) of the URT Constitution should be amended as it undermines Parliament’s capacity to oversee the budget preparation process.

“In order to increase budget credibility and make it as a management control tool, Parliament needs to be free from risks of losing positions or constituencies as they are exercising their oversight functions,” said Mr Kallagane.

He said the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2011 and the Public Finance Act (PFA) 2001 amended in order to introduce fines, demotion, termination and legal actions to public officers failing to implement the CAG recommendations, procurement plans, etc.

Furthermore, Mr Kallagane said the government should establish a documented Fraud Prevention Plan & Fraud Risk Management that should at the later stage see the possibility of enacting the Fraud Act.

He said Wajibu has identified areas of corruptive or fraudulent transactions amounting to Sh3.366 trillion equivalent to 13 percent of the total spending of Sh25.92 trillion of the 2020/21 Fiscal Year which is Sh1.771 trillion higher than the amount analyzed in the 2019/20 FY.

“The analysis shows that Sh1.994 trillion came from the central government, Sh74.02 billion from development projects, Sh122.6 billion from Local Government Authorities (LGAs) and Sh1.175 trillion from public authorities,” he said.

According to him, analysis established increase in implementation of CAG recommendations by 3 percent as compared previous year, despite the rate of implementation remaining below 50 percent.

Regarding the Human Resources management, he said while the staff claims outstanding stood at Sh595.7 billion, ghost workers pocketed Sh556.84 million and shortage of staff in the public sector was 58,072.