ZAMBIA needs an Auditor General’s report that is not one sided in terms of revealing improvements made so far in public resource utilizations but also a report that highlights the progress made in the investigations of past reports, Continental Leadership Research Institute (CLRI) Executive Director Paul Hakoola has demanded.
Speaking to The Scoop, Mr. Hakoola said that as much as it was commendable that there was improved prudent public resource utilization, there was also a need for a detailed record on progress made on those who were cited in the previous report.
“As much as it is commendable that the country has recorded a decrease in the misapplication and misappropriation of public resources and other public finances, it is critical that there is an update on the cases involving those who were cited in the previous report so that they are in public domain. We do not need a report that only gives us a one-sided report to say that there is an improvement. We also need to know progress made on the cases of those cited in the past,” Mr. Hakoola said.
He said that the office of the Auditor General should function without interference from the Government or any other external factor for it to execute its mandate judiciously.
He said that the office of the Auditor General needed support from all well-meaning stakeholders for it to effectively promote good governance and spearhead the overall fight against corruption in the country.
He said that as much as corruption could not be dismantled overnight, it could be dismantled through systematic reforms such as enhancing transparency as well as supporting institutions that had the mandate to stop the vice.
He further said that Zambians played a crucial role in the fight against corruption hence the need for citizens to demand action on these efforts from elected officials.
He added that while transparency was key, an empowered media and civil society was also critical.
He explained that while preventive measures were also key, meaningful and impartial accountability were crucial to curbing corruption by making the risks and costs of corruption unbearable.