Hertta-Maria Amutenja
The extension of the employment contract of the Zambezi Chief Regional Officer, Regina Ndopu-Libunda which was effective from March 2016 until February 2021 was unlawful, Auditor General, Junias Kandjeke found.
Kandjeke made the finding in a report on the accounts of the Zambezi Regional Council for the financial year which ended in March 2020. The report was submitted in parliament this week.
Ndopu-Lupinda is still employed as the Chief Regional Officer of the region.
According to Kandjeke, the extension of the contract was not recommended by the Public Service Commission and there was no evidence to provide if the matter was ever resolved.
“The Attorney General’s office advised that the contract resulted in the ultra vires action. Therefore, the auditors observed that the council have approached the Treasury in terms of section 11 subsection (3) that request the Treasury to waive the claim against such person under section 16(1)(c)(i) or to authorize under section 20 that he or she be discharged from liability,” he said.
In addition to the auditor’s findings, the report states that the council did not disclose the shares it holds with Nored as required.
The objective of IPSAS 28 is to establish principles for presenting financial instruments as liabilities or net assets/equity and for offsetting financial assets and financial liabilities
Last week at the ninth stakeholder engagement session by the AG’s office in Katima Mulilo the AG announced that all local authorities present have fully adopted and implemented the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) financial reporting framework.
At the same event, the Internal Auditor at the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, Martin Amon explained the main benefits of IPSAS as increased transparency, greater accountability and improved financial information to support governance, management of assets and decision-making.
Moreover, Kandjeke said the regional council had fruitless expenditures when it incurred expenditures amounting to N$ 589 147 (as of March 2020) and N$ 6 433 541 (to date) for renovating the Legislative Assembly Hall.
“The auditors could not provide any title deed or any transfer of ownership resolution. Furthermore, the building is not disclosed in the fixed assets register under buildings, but disclosed as works in progress (does not qualify to be recognized as work in progress),” he said.
