Leaked letter shows Zimbabwe's ministries are redirecting COVID-19 intended funds for own use

02 Mai 2020

Harare, Zimbabwe, May  2 (Infosplusgabon) - A leaked Zimbabwe Treasury letter has exposed line ministries diverting coronavirus (COVID-19) intended funds into personal allowances.

In the letter dated April 28, 2020, Permanent Secretary to Treasury George Guvamatanga wrote to all line ministries instructing them to prioritise monies towards COVID-19 relief efforts instead of allowances.

“Whilst Treasury appreciates the need to incentivise staff who are reporting for duty and risking their health to infection by the coronavirus, payment of such an allowance should be guided by the Committee on the Harmonisation of Conditions of Service and approved by Treasury," Guvamatanga said.

"However, line Ministries are now prioritising payment of allowances despite the call by Treasury in its letter dated 20 March 2020, requesting accounting officers to identify non-wage savings (operations and capital) from their respective votes to be ring-fenced towards COVID-19 pandemic interventions."

In light of this, Guvamatanga directed all line ministries to stop processing domestic allowances and reverse all transactions so that the funds could be redirected towards COVID-19 interventions.

"Your urgent attention to this matter will be greatly appreciated," he said.

The shocking letter comes as another one written by Finance minister Mthuli Ncube to international financial institutions leaked wherein the Treasury boss admitted that the continued failure of the economy was government's own fault.

Ever since the coming in of the President Emmerson Mnangagwa-led government in November 2017, cases of corruption among line ministries have sky rocketed which has prejudiced Treasury of billions of dollars.

For example, the Auditor General's (AG's) report for 2018 reported unauthorised excess expenditure amounting to US$3,209,248,271 incurred by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development during that financial year.

The excess was mainly related to unallocated reserves transferred to ministries.

The AG's office continues to complain that the maintenance of accounting records remains a challenge in some ministries for both appropriation and fund accounts, leading to challenges in verifying financial statements from these government departments.

FIN/ INFOSPLUSGABON/UIO/GABON2020

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