HARARE – The office of the Auditor General, famous for corruption busting reports concerning government entities, says it is operating far below its staffing capacity with 125 critical posts reportedly still vacant.
Acting auditor general Rheah Kujinga told parliament’s portfolio committee on Public Accounts Monday that staff shortages are so bad that the department is outsourcing some audits because of skilled staff deficit.
“The office’s staff establishment is currently 381 with 256 members being in post resulting in 125 vacant posts to be filled.
“The filling of vacant posts is critical to enable the office to do a reasonable audit coverage and do justice to its mandate.
“The audit coverage includes to audit ministries, departments and agencies, head offices and outstations in provinces and districts.
“Also lack of capacity in terms of staff members has forced the office to outsource the audits of some local authorities and public entities,” she said.
Kujinga said the vacant posts that are required for the efficient running of the critical office include those of directors to run departments such as Information technology, human resources, legal services, procurement and quality assurance.
Staff to support these critical areas is also required.
“The office therefore intends to create and fill 78 posts for these functional areas. These critical posts need budgetary support,” she said.
The AG’s office is mandated with the carrying out of audits within government ministries, departments and agencies.
The department has earned respect among a lot of Zimbabweans for producing reports that have exposed massive fraud within government corridors and entities.
The Zanu PF led government has however ignored the reports with no arrests carried out on the culprits who continue to haemorrhage the country of millions of dollars in fake purchases, over-invoicing, tender fraud, among some of the cases.
