Ministers to sign reform performance contracts
As part of promoting accountability and responsiveness, Cabinet ministers are expected to sign public sector reform performance contracts with President Lazarus Chakwera next week Monday.
A statement from Office of the Vice President and Public Sector Reforms indicates that ministers would sign the contracts with the President on behalf of their respective ministries and parastatal organisations that fall under their ministries.
The statement, which Press Officer for the Vice-President Pilirani Phiri released and signed Wednesday, indicates that the Minister of Local Government will sign on behalf of all city, municipal and district councils.
“It is highly expected that the signing of the performance agreement contracts will inculcate a culture of accountability and responsiveness in the public sector.
“The signing ceremony will be followed by quarterly progress reviews through a credible monitoring and evaluation framework to sustain momentum in the implementation of the reforms agenda,” the statement reads.
In an interview, Public Sector Reforms Public Relations Officer McCarthy Mwalwimba said the contracts had nothing to do with the performance assessment Chakwera pledged to conduct on his Cabinet ministers next month.
“These are reforms that have been agreed upon by responsible institutions and the government. These have been running in recent years. If a minister is not performing as agreed, then it is the prerogative of the President to decide,” Mwalwimba said.
The President chose a 31-member Cabinet.
Chakwera unveiled the Cabinet in July this year and the transition ministers are expected to be appraised next month.
After the fresh presidential election, Vice- President Saulos Chilima, who is championing the reforms agenda, has been visiting the country’s administrative cities— getting plans and roadmaps from institutions, councils and parastatals on what they want done to promote mindset change.
