The Budget and Finance Committee of Parliament has asked Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Goodall Gondwe to explain how government has dealt with the issue of refunds to The Global Fund.
Committee chairperson Rhino Chiphiko said this on Friday in response to Gondwe’s Mid-term Budget Review Statement presented on February 6 2015.
He said: “The committee wishes that the Honourable Minister could comment on how government has dealt with refunds to The Global Fund for expenditures that were deemed ineligible.”
According to Chiphiko, his committee is aware that the proposed revisions include cuts to votes that failed to fully account for The Global Fund money received through the National Aids Commission (NAC).
He said it was imperative for the minister to furnish the House with the breakdown of the funds used for ineligible expenditure by responsible ministries and efforts to recover the same.
On the same issue, Chiphiko said government should utilise Section 87 of the Public Finance Management Act that empowers the appointing authority to institute punitive measures on officers responsible for the poor stewardship of public resources
He said: “In light of this and other financial scandals in government, the committee wishes to find out when government intends to evoke that provision.”
