BUSINESS: ZESA UNIT IN FRAUD STORM:

THE 9 percent jump paid in total fees and allowances for Zimbabwe Revenue Authority board members for the year to December 31 last year, has been attributed to the high number of meetings held to tackle pressing issues raised in the forensic audit.

The forensic audit report unearthed high levels of sleaze that allegedly characterised former Commissioner General Mr Gershem Pasi’s reign. Findings of the report were released late September 2016.

Yesterday, Zimra Commissioner General Ms Faith Mazani, told The Herald Business that several meetings, particularly the human resources committee, resulting in more board sittings.

Total board fees and allowances spiked to $292 582 last year from $268 225 in the prior year. The board has 10 members who were appointed on June 26, 2015.

Said Ms Mazani: “The jump in board fees for the year 2017 was mainly as a result of meetings that were held by the board and committees following developments that took place after the forensic audit.

“Several meetings were held to deal with the issues that had arisen from the forensic audit findings as well as recruitments that then followed after some executive managers were either dismissed or resigned in 2017 as a result of forensic audit findings.”

Zimra board chairperson Mrs Willia Bonyongwe’s board fees were unchanged at $24 000 from the prior year while the vice board chairperson Mr Percy Toriro’s fees also remained at $20 000.

Eight other board members got a combined $126 000, which was $15 000 lower than what they raked in 2016.

However, sitting allowances shot up, with Mrs Bonyongwe getting $20 761, which represented an almost 100 percent jump from the $10 800 she obtained in the year earlier.

Mr Toriro equally pocketed $15 400 from $9 725 in the year earlier while other board members saw their sitting allowances sharply rising to $86 422 last year from $62 650 in the prior year.

But Ms Mazani said the human resources committee for instance, which is chaired by Mr Toriro, convened eight meetings during the year for purposes of shortlisting and conducting interviews for seven executive management positions.

The interviews sought to fill vacancies left by some staffers implicated in wrong-doings at Zimra.

Ms Mazani added that the board ended up getting more money since it was also visiting Zimra stations around the country year to “appreciate operations on the ground”, particularly border posts, following some issues raised in the audit reports.

“This is part of the board’s oversight role on the operations of the Authority,” said Ms Mazani, who also said the fees and allowances are approved by the parent ministry, Finance and Economic Planning.