Govt enhances accountability

GOVERNMENT is implementing a risk management initiative to reduce wasteful expenditure, prevent fraud and corruption.

Accountability of public resources will thus be improved.

The Risk Management initiative launched last year is a department under the Office of Controller of Internal Audit in the Ministry of Finance and is expected to be fully implemented in the public sector by June 2022.

The framework will be rolled out to all Ministries, Provinces, and Agencies to help them to understand risk analysis, mitigation, and control measures in the implementation of risk management.

Controller of Internal Audit, Chibwe Mulonda, said implementation of the initiative was expected to increase the Government’s accountability and transparency in providing quality, efficient, and effective services to citizens and other clients.

Mr Mulonda said the initiative would better the output and outcomes through improved project and programme management.

He was speaking during the Ministry of Finance top-management visioning-and-milestone-setting meeting on economic policy, fiscal affairs, tax policy, financial management, and internal controls in Lusaka.

“This will enable the Central Government to respond to some of the performance management challenges highlighted in various reports of the Auditor General.

“It will be done by anchoring activity implementation on innovation, focused priority setting, and efficient resource allocation in order to attain cost-efficient and improved service delivery,” he said.

Mr Mulonda said the tool would enhance the ability of institutions to deflect adverse outcomes and optimise opportunities in meeting their strategic objectives, in a cost-effective and accountable manner.

He indicated that the effects of delayed implementation of the Risk Management Framework occasioned by the outbreak of Covid-19, could not be over-emphasised as travel, meetings, and training events remained restricted.

Secretary to the Treasury, Fredson Yamba said change management programmes were needed to ensure that all public service workers began to practice risk management and incorporate it in their planning, budgeting, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation activities.

It will be done by anchoring activity implementation on innovation, focused priority setting, and efficient resource allocation in order to attain costefficient and improved service delivery.