OPC, Pac meet next week

By Isaac Salima:

Public Accounts Committee (Pac) of Parliament has scheduled a meeting with Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) officials on Saturday next week.

The rescheduling follows a failed meeting last week.

The officials were supposed to be led by Secretary to OPC Colleen Zamba in making the appearance after being summoned by Pac.

However, the meeting failed as Zamba was with President Lazarus Chakwera in the United Kingdom for the coronation of King Charles III.

This was the second time for Zamba to snub Pac after doing the same last year.

Parliament spokesperson Ian Mwenye confirmed the meeting Thursday.

“We have received communication about the meeting, so we will meet on May 20. The agenda is to do with the general performance of the civil service,” Mwenye said.

Pac chairperson Mark Botomani also confirmed being notified about the meeting.

Asked if the meeting will proceed if Zamba will not make it again, Botomani said: “Let us cross the bridge when we get there. But as at now, we have confirmation that she will be available.”

OPC spokesperson Robert Kalindiza said he was yet to be notified about the meeting.

Pac summoned Zamba to inquire about operations of the civil service including audit queries and ghost workers.

The committee also wanted to enquire into continued tendencies by some civil servants who disregard laid-down public expenditure procedures.

Zamba’s failure to appear before the committee irked some members of parliament who nearly shot down the OPC vote, saying the top civil servant needed to respect parliament by appearing before Pac.

The vote only passed when leader of the house Richard Chimwendo Banda assured the house that an arrangement had been made for her to make the appearance.