OKW BOBAN SUNZU
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CAG Prof. Asad amshukia Dr. Magufuli kwa serikali yake kuzuia watumishi wake kwenda nje ya nchi kwa safari za kikazi. CAG ameishangaa serikali kupunguza bajeti ya Ofisi yake zaidi ya 40%.
Aidha CAG ameonyesha kumkumbuka Dr. Kikwete kwa jitihada zake za kuiwezesha ofisi ya CAG kufanya kazi kwa kuipatia fedha za kazi pamoja na mafunzo mambo ambayo yameleta tija kubwa kiutendaji.
Chanzo: Tanzania Daima uk wa 4
==============================
*CAG : State House ban on travel crippling my office*
Dar es Salaam. The Controller and Auditor General (CAG), Prof Mussa Assad, yesterday asked the government to review the ban on foreign travel for public servants, saying it was counterproductive in some aspects.
Speaking on the opening day of the National Audit Office of Tanzania (Naot) Workers Council meeting, Prof Assad appealed for flexibility in implementation of the directive, which he added, had adversely affected the performance of Naot.
He later told The Citizen that it was time the issue was given due consideration.
“As an academic, my role is not to remain silent but to highlight issues and offer appropriate advice,” he said.
Addressing the meeting, Prof Assad said Naot officials had been barred from travelling to attend the African Federation of Institutes of Internal Auditors (AFIIA) conference currently taking place in Rwanda.
AFIIA meetings are held on a rotational basis among member countries, and are deemed important forums for sharing knowledge and experience.
“My staff asked for permission, but State House did not allow them to travel to Rwanda. These meetings are very important. By participating, our people gain new knowledge and experience from other delegates.
“The question is, if Tanzania hosts such a meeting, are our people going to participate? I think the government should reconsider this,” Prof Assad said.
However, State House said yesterday that no public official had been denied permission to travel abroad without concrete grounds.
“Foreign travel has only been restricted, not totally banned. It is not only the cost that is considered, but also the importance of the trip and whether the absence of the person seeking to travel will have adverse consequences at his or her workplace...we are sensible on this,” said Mr Gerson Msigwa, acting head of the Directorate of Presidential Communications.
The CAG is the first senior government official to have publicly called for a review of the presidential directive issued last November.
President John Magufuli said a few days after being sworn in that public officials would travel only when “absolutely necessary” and would have to get permission from either himself or the Chief Secretary.
Four officials of the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau were sacked last December for travelling abroad without permission.
Yesterday, Prof Assad said Naot was operating in difficult circumstances due to financial constraints he blamed on an inadequate budget.
This, he added, was preventing the office from performing many of its statutory functions.
According to the CAG, Naot had asked for Sh8 billion during the 2014/2015 financial, but got less than 40 per cent of what was requested.
Prof Assad said Naot would be able to train its staff and enable them cope with challenging professional demands if the office was provided with adequate funding.
He also spoke about Tanzania’s performance after the country was chosen in 2013 to be part of a team tasked with auditing the accounts of various United Nations agencies and programmes for a period of six years.
However, Naot has failed to build the capacity of Tanzanian auditors working with the UN team due to the prevailing situation.
Prof Assad said Naot was reeling under a mountain of debt, adding that this had adversely affected its operations. “Many auditors have been sent on assignment without being paid their dues. Our staff working with the UN are facing a number of challenges because of lack of adequate knowledge.”
Prof Assad said Naot had been tirelessly advising the government to expand its revenue base and at the same time control expenditure.
“The government should identify all possible sources of revenue and check expenditure. There should be a clear correlation between revenue collection and expenditure.”
Prof Assad also urged the government to consider allocating Naot with adequate funds and enable the office to provide its staff with relevant training as the country looks forward to an oil and gas boom.
He said it was unfortunate that Naot does not have a single expert in auditing accounts related to oil and gas despite trillions of cubic feet of fossil fuel reserves having been discovered in Tanzania.
“We’re late. We’re considering specialisation in oil and gas when the sector has already taken off, but I believe we can still do something if we aim to serve our people well,”
The two-day Naot Workers Council meeting was scheduled to discuss staff benefits and the need to boost morale and increase the office’s efficiency.
The meeting was opened by the Deputy Permanent Secretary in the President’s Office, Public Service Management and Good Governance, Ms Susan Lawi.
Aidha CAG ameonyesha kumkumbuka Dr. Kikwete kwa jitihada zake za kuiwezesha ofisi ya CAG kufanya kazi kwa kuipatia fedha za kazi pamoja na mafunzo mambo ambayo yameleta tija kubwa kiutendaji.
Chanzo: Tanzania Daima uk wa 4
==============================
*CAG : State House ban on travel crippling my office*
Dar es Salaam. The Controller and Auditor General (CAG), Prof Mussa Assad, yesterday asked the government to review the ban on foreign travel for public servants, saying it was counterproductive in some aspects.
Speaking on the opening day of the National Audit Office of Tanzania (Naot) Workers Council meeting, Prof Assad appealed for flexibility in implementation of the directive, which he added, had adversely affected the performance of Naot.
He later told The Citizen that it was time the issue was given due consideration.
“As an academic, my role is not to remain silent but to highlight issues and offer appropriate advice,” he said.
Addressing the meeting, Prof Assad said Naot officials had been barred from travelling to attend the African Federation of Institutes of Internal Auditors (AFIIA) conference currently taking place in Rwanda.
AFIIA meetings are held on a rotational basis among member countries, and are deemed important forums for sharing knowledge and experience.
“My staff asked for permission, but State House did not allow them to travel to Rwanda. These meetings are very important. By participating, our people gain new knowledge and experience from other delegates.
“The question is, if Tanzania hosts such a meeting, are our people going to participate? I think the government should reconsider this,” Prof Assad said.
However, State House said yesterday that no public official had been denied permission to travel abroad without concrete grounds.
“Foreign travel has only been restricted, not totally banned. It is not only the cost that is considered, but also the importance of the trip and whether the absence of the person seeking to travel will have adverse consequences at his or her workplace...we are sensible on this,” said Mr Gerson Msigwa, acting head of the Directorate of Presidential Communications.
The CAG is the first senior government official to have publicly called for a review of the presidential directive issued last November.
President John Magufuli said a few days after being sworn in that public officials would travel only when “absolutely necessary” and would have to get permission from either himself or the Chief Secretary.
Four officials of the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau were sacked last December for travelling abroad without permission.
Yesterday, Prof Assad said Naot was operating in difficult circumstances due to financial constraints he blamed on an inadequate budget.
This, he added, was preventing the office from performing many of its statutory functions.
According to the CAG, Naot had asked for Sh8 billion during the 2014/2015 financial, but got less than 40 per cent of what was requested.
Prof Assad said Naot would be able to train its staff and enable them cope with challenging professional demands if the office was provided with adequate funding.
He also spoke about Tanzania’s performance after the country was chosen in 2013 to be part of a team tasked with auditing the accounts of various United Nations agencies and programmes for a period of six years.
However, Naot has failed to build the capacity of Tanzanian auditors working with the UN team due to the prevailing situation.
Prof Assad said Naot was reeling under a mountain of debt, adding that this had adversely affected its operations. “Many auditors have been sent on assignment without being paid their dues. Our staff working with the UN are facing a number of challenges because of lack of adequate knowledge.”
Prof Assad said Naot had been tirelessly advising the government to expand its revenue base and at the same time control expenditure.
“The government should identify all possible sources of revenue and check expenditure. There should be a clear correlation between revenue collection and expenditure.”
Prof Assad also urged the government to consider allocating Naot with adequate funds and enable the office to provide its staff with relevant training as the country looks forward to an oil and gas boom.
He said it was unfortunate that Naot does not have a single expert in auditing accounts related to oil and gas despite trillions of cubic feet of fossil fuel reserves having been discovered in Tanzania.
“We’re late. We’re considering specialisation in oil and gas when the sector has already taken off, but I believe we can still do something if we aim to serve our people well,”
The two-day Naot Workers Council meeting was scheduled to discuss staff benefits and the need to boost morale and increase the office’s efficiency.
The meeting was opened by the Deputy Permanent Secretary in the President’s Office, Public Service Management and Good Governance, Ms Susan Lawi.
