Inadequate funding caused misapplication of funds-PS

THE Ministry applied funds totalling over K600, 000 to other areas because it was underfunded by 48 percent, Information and Broadcasting Services Permanent secretary (PS) Godfrey Malama told the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

And PAC said erratic funding was not a passport to misapply public funds as doing so was against the law.

Speaking when he appeared before PAC yesterday, Mr Malama said the m inistry was underfunded by 48 percent which led to using the available funds in other areas.

According to the Auditor General’s report, amounts totalling K609, 467 meant to cater for establishment and construction of provincial broadcasting stations were spent on unrelated activities.

Committee member Teddy Kasonso asked Mr Malama why contrary to the Appropriation Act of 2015 the Ministry spent the funds on unrelated activities such as decentralisation of holograms, closure of accounts, audit query responses and monitoring operations of digital equipment without the authority of the Treasury.

In response, Mr Malama who was apologetic told the committee that the genesis of the misapplication was circumstantial as the Ministry was underfunded.

“Misapplication of K609, 467.27 being funds meant for development and construction of provincial broadcasting stations is true and as a controlling officer, I am really sorry for that.

“However, the genesis of the misapplication was circumstantial and not intentional. The Ministry was underfunded by about 48 percent,” Mr Malama said.

A well-composed PS explained to the committee that the Ministry’s budget funding stood at about 52 percent of the budget translating into about 48 percent underfunding.

“In the estimates of revenue and expenditure for the year ended 31st December 2016, a provision of K91, 663, 786 was made to cater for the implementation of various programmes in the Ministry against which amounts totalling K47, 630, 984 were released , resulting in underfunding of K44,0 03, 802,” said the PS.