Govt loses K170,000 on ‘ghost’ worker

OVER K170,000 was spent as monthly salary for eight months on a veterinary officer despite being absent on duty without leave, the Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) has heard.

The officer is based in Vubwi Eastern Province under in the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries.

Livestock and Fisheries Permanent Secretary, Benson Mwenya disclosed that, Dr Richard Masiye, was appointed as an officer in the Zambia Army and was given clearance by the civil service commission.

He however continued to receive a salary under the Ministry of Livestock Fisheries as veterinary officer as well.

Dr Mwenya told PAC that the officer was irregularly paid salaries for eight months amounting to K 107, 232.00 for the period of January to August 2019 when the officer absconded from duty and station without leave.

He said his ministry has since written to the Ministry of Defence Permanent Secretary Dr Felix Phiri to ensure that the money was recovered from Dr Masiye through payroll management establishment control (PMEC).

The Permanent Secretary said this when he appeared before PAC to answer some queries cited in the 2019 Auditor’s General report in Lusaka yesterday.

And Dr Mwenya told PAC that the aerial spraying for tsetse fly control which was scheduled to start in 2018 to 2019 in Luano valley failed due to non-availability of funds to give to the contractor who was supposed to carry out night- time flying services.

He said the activity can only be undertaken after the cool -dry season, from May to August and that the first mobilization would commence in April.

However PAC deputy chairperson, Kapembwa Simbao, reminded the Permanent Secretary that his ministry was an important one because it was a revenue generating entity.

Mr Simbao however said the failure to have the spraying was a very sad issue especially that tsetse flies bring sleeping sickness to the people in communities.