Lusaka, Zambia – In a recent session of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Media, Mr. Thabo Kawana, issued a formal apology for misleading the committee by backdating documents related to fuel procurement. The documents, which pertained to a period under review and were queried by the Office of the Auditor General, caused the committee to appear uninformed about their responsibilities.
The issue surfaced during the PAC’s examination of fuel procurement processes, which were found to have discrepancies. The backdating of these documents led to confusion and cast doubt on the committee’s oversight capabilities.
Mr. Kawana admitted the error and expressed his regret for the oversight. He assured the PAC and the public that corrective measures would be implemented to prevent such incidents in the future. Mr. Kawana emphasized the Ministry’s dedication to maintaining transparency and accountability in all its operations.
In response to the apology, the PAC acknowledged Mr. Kawana’s admission of fault but reiterated the necessity of stringent oversight mechanisms. The committee stressed that maintaining transparency and accountability in public procurement processes is crucial to upholding public trust.
This incident has sparked a wider conversation about the importance of accurate record-keeping and transparency within government institutions. Both the public and various stakeholders will be closely monitoring the Ministry’s efforts to ensure accountability and transparency moving forward.
