No Covid funds misappropriated - minister
MINISTER of Health
Jonas Chanda has told parliament that there are no Covid-19 funds that have been misappropriated because there were just pledges.
Dr Chanda said that the alleged over K6 billion were just pledges and commitments by cooperating partners as stated in the Auditor General’s report of July 31, 2020.
He was responding to Kalabo Central Member of Parliament Chinga Miyutu who wanted to know whether the misappropriation of over K6.3 billion Covid-19 funds will not hamper the fight against the pandemic; what urgent measures are being taken to avert further misappropriation of Covid-19 funds, which may lead to a spike in the number of deaths from the pandemic.
Mr Miyutu also wanted to know whether there are any officers who have been arrested for misappropriating the funds.
Dr Chanda that the alleged figure arose from pledges and commitments by cooperating partners which were not cash paid directly to the ministry but through other agencies.
He however said that the matter is under the Parliamentary Accounts
Committee and a report will be released.
He said that the government through the Auditor General’s office established that corporate partners made commitments and pledges amounting to over K6 billion.
Dr Chanda however stated that the Ministry of Finance could not disclose how much was received because it did not have the information.
The minister told parliament that pledges were not coming in cash to the Ministry of Health, but channeled to other agencies.
He said that a forensic audit of the matter would be transparent as assured by President Edgar Lungu.