Sunday, March 7, 2021
  • About Us
  • ImagiNATION
  • Adverts
  • Rate Card
  • Contact Us
The Nation Online
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home Front Page

Parliament subpoenas Treasury boss

by Lucky Mkandawire
30/06/2018
in Front Page, National News
3 min read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare on LinkedinLinkedinShare via Email

Secretary to Treasury Ben Botolo was on Wednesday subpoenaed by the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources after he earlier failed to appear before it.

The committee had written Botolo to appear before it to, among others, discuss proposals submitted by the country’s water boards to the Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Development, but have not been seeing the light of the day for several years.

RelatedHeadlines

Police, DPP, ‘ignore’ court order

Journalists prioritised in Covid-19 jabs

Chakwera hosts first foreign President

botolo | The Nation Online
Botolo: I had other meetings

However, the Treasury boss failed to make it before the scheduled meeting, forcing the committee to subpoena him.

Committee chairperson Joseph Chidanti Malunga confirmed the development, saying the committee met Botolo later in the evening, after the summoning.

He said: “If somebody does not appear before the committee without valid reasons, the serious offence we give is contempt of Parliament, but we did not want to get that far so we gave him the benefit of the doubt and subpoena him. So, we discussed the issues the committee wanted him for.”

Botolo confirmed being subpoenaed, but said he failed to show up during the day due to a tight schedule of other meetings.

“I had nine meetings at the same time, the parliamentary meeting was not the only meeting. They also have to understand that I belong to the Executive arm of government and on my plan of schedule of meetings take the line of the Executive arm of government. I don’t belong to the Parliamentary Service Commission,” he said.

In February this year, the Treasury boss was accused by the Parliamentary Committee on Budget and Finance of presenting a substandard report.

Botolo, alongside budget director Peterson Ponderani, appeared before the Budget and Finance Committee to provide an overview of the execution of the 2017/18 National Budget when they faced the cold reception.

The committee also accused Botolo of ignoring several summons to appear before it and alleged that attempts to communicate with him had hit a wall.

Over the past years, various committees have complained about lack of commitment by some controlling officers from the public service to appear before them and explain some sticky issues within their jurisdiction.

Commenting on the trend, governance commentator Martin Chiphwanya observed that the problem lies in that there is little or no enforcement of sanctions on officers who choose not to appear before parliamentary committees.

Chiphwanya, a former national director of Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) also noted that failure to appear before parliamentary committees raises accountability and transparency questions to the officers.

He said: “Parliamentary powers to summon should be accompanied with sanctions. Failure to appear before any committee of Parliament contravenes its authority. Where the matter has been thoroughly investigated, such officers can as well be fired.”

On his part, Happy Kayuni, an associate professor of political science and administrative studies at the University of Malawi’s Chancellor College, said public servants must be accountable to Parliament because it is a key institution in any democracy.

He also said it was important to reinforce the mandate of the parliamentary bodies so that officers are effectively disciplined when they disregard its powers.

“Since the public sector is under the Chief Secretary, he should also give guidance by disciplining those controlling officers who ignore the call to appear before committees,” said Kayuni.

Previous Post

A city trembling to diesel gensets

Next Post

My take: no immunity for the corrupt!

Related Posts

Ndala: The case was closed
National News

Police, DPP, ‘ignore’ court order

March 6, 2021
Ndanga being interviewed by members of the media
National News

Journalists prioritised in Covid-19 jabs

March 6, 2021
To hold a closed-door meeting: Masisi
National News

Chakwera hosts first foreign President

March 6, 2021
Next Post

My take: no immunity for the corrupt!

Opinions and Columns

My Diary

Musowa voice missing yet needed

March 6, 2021
Off the Shelf

Off the Shelf 5 years on

March 6, 2021
Back Bencher

Let the teachers have their Covid-19 risk allowances

March 6, 2021
Guest Spot

Ensuring quality education for Malawian girls

March 6, 2021

Trending Stories

  • Lowe: We are trying to find potential markets

    Ministry plans to export 1m tonnes surplus maize

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • SKC ‘intervenes’ on youths’ demos

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Govt to finance 15 major projects

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Govt, TUM gloves off

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Let the teachers have their Covid-19 risk allowances

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Values
  • Our Philosophy
  • Editorial policy
  • Advertising Policy
  • Code of Conduct
  • Plagiarism disclaimer
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use

© 2021 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation

© 2020 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.