Zambia’s Road Sector Cooperating Partners have welcomed Government’s decision to dissolve the Boards of the Road Development Agency and the National Road Fund Agency.
And the Cooperating Partners have commended the Auditor General for the comprehensive Audit of the Road Development Agency for the years 2006 to 2009.
In a statement released to QFM today, the Cooperating Partners namely the World Bank,the European Union, Denmark, Germany, Japan and the African Development Bank say they stand ready to support the Government in its endeavour to strengthen the institutions responsible for managing and providing oversight in the roads sector.
They say remedial measures arising from the Audit findings, together with a realistic, affordable and sustainable road sector investment programme (ROADSIP II), would pave the way for the resumption of new road works which are still withheld.
They have however made it clear that the pace of the remedial and policy actions will dictate the timing of their resumption of resources to the sector.
The Cooperating Partners note that the Audit confirms the concerns expressed in 2009 in relation to budget execution and control, resulting in a significant over-commitment.
They further state that the Audit also outlines serious issues in the management of resources, procurement, contract management, and the quality of works.
The Cooperating Partners add that they stand ready to assist with the strengthening of the Road Development Agency to enable it to address the issues highlighted in the audit report.
They advise that for a country with limited financial resources, with high levels of poverty, every effort should be made to use funds effectively so that investments result in quality and sustainable infrastructure, adding that transparent and efficient use of public and donor funds is essential to ensure value for money.
Yesterday, the Government announced it had dissolved the Roads Development Agency (RDA) board with immediate following the expiry of tenure of office.
Acting Works and Supply Minister Kenneth Konga said yesterday the ministry’s Permanent Secretary Watson N’gambi would handle all functions, which were performed by the RDA board.
Mr Konga, who is Energy and Water Development Minister said the dissolved board had served two terms.
The board was due for replacement according to the Public Roads Act which provided that a member of the board shall hold office for a period of three years from the date of appointment and shall be eligible for reappointment for one further term of three years.
He said under section six of the Public Roads Act number12 of the 2002, the minister of Works and Supply has powers to appoint part time members of RDA and to dissolve the board.
The minister said he was in the process of appointing a new board for RDA.
QFM
The road sector is very important to the economy but the minister of Works and Supply seems to have too much power under the Act (Public Roads Act number12 of the 2002). There is a “public service commission” which should be given the mandate to disssolve or appoint the RDA board.
Government should replace management as well they are incompetent to have overcommitted beyond available resources.obvious they alot of kick backs in the process.
Government should replace management as well they are incompetent to have overcommitted beyond available resources.obvious they got alot of kick backs in the process.
This is more seriously than the Kapoko saga but Government seems to be downplaying it with all those sponsored articles in the Times of zambia. Yes management must go to restore donor confidence merely dissolving the boards wont do.
Transparency and an unrelenting commitment to development is what characterises RBs GRZ.
If corruption permeated from the top echlons of GRZ as some of you Fr fantic Franks diciples would like us to belive, this would have been swept under the carpet.
Many people forget that the Auditor-General is a Government operative supported and paid by the government. However many of the querries raised by the AG’s report do not amount to theft. This is one thing that people simply do not understand. Our biggest problems in Zambia are ignorance and a partsan outlook in every debate. Truth in our country does not matter.
We only use the AG’s report to fix people who have fallen out of our favour. Lets get real and weed off those who abusing their positions not for political gain but for the betterment of our country
Is RB going to manage to do those roads before 2011 elections that is my question
The Cooperating partners are just being diplomatic. The GRZ will have to sweat blood to squeeze any money for roads out of them. Zambian roads are a disgrace in the region. Ours is a cursed country in everything.
Management at RDA has been compromised by the likes of SABLE,they should also pack and go.