Ntchisi District Council appears before PAC over audit queries

Ntchisi District Council officials on Thursday appeared before Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament to explain audit queries raised in the Auditor General’s report for the years ended June 30, 2013 and 2014.

The audit findings indicated that the council failed to produce payment vouchers and other supporting documents for money amounting to about K92 million.

However, the council managed to retrieve the documents which were later presented to the Auditor General’s office. The latter then issued audit clearance certificates to the council.

District Commissioner (DC) for Ntchisi, James Manyetera, said the payment vouchers and other supporting documents could not be traced during the audit exercise due to poor filing system at the council.

He however assured PAC that the council had now put in place strict measures aimed at ensuring financial discipline, including introduction of a new filing system and improving record keeping.

“Filing system was a problem at the time of the audit and we have now improved it to avoid recurrence of the same,” he said.

Manyetera attributed the poor filing system to shortage of staff at the council, saying the council does not have an internal auditor and most key positions are being held by officers in acting capacities.

Mzimba South East Member of Parliament (MP) Rabson Chihaula Shawa’s who chaired the meeting, said his committee had taken note of the council’s challenges and would present them to relevant authorizes.

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