The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), led by MDC Vice President, Tendai Biti, has said that it will pile pressure on Finance Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube over the alleged violation of the Constitution and the Public Finance Management Act.
The warning comes after the committee established a number of irregularities by the Ministry of Finance was including failure by the Minister to publish in the Gazette loans contracted and guarantees issued by Government within sixty days of their conclusion.
The committee also reported that the minister also failed to present to Parliament a report on loans raised and guarantees issued by the State and a comprehensive report on public debt. The committee warned:
The Minister of Finance and Economic Development must cause the terms of loans contracted and guarantees to be published in the Gazette by September 30, 2019. This applies to loans and guarantees that were not previously published.
The committee further said that public officers who were responsible for handling public funds must be diligent in executing their duties and responsibilities. The committee said:
On the Committee’s part, it shall be its duty to follow up on compliance of its recommendations. It is in the best interest of our country that there is transparency and accountability around public resources.
It is also important that those who are entrusted with public funds do so diligently, openly and with great respect to the Constitution and laws of the country.
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