ZANU PF Stalling On Civil Service Ghost Worker Audit

Whenever someone takes over something that is part of a civil service, I would have thought that a full audit of the assets and staff base is a prerequisite. In typical ZANU PF fashion, they have decided that there shouldn't be an audit. Obviously, this is because we will then see the scope of the fraud.

And for this stand to be made three years after the establishing of the coalition is criminal. Not least of all because it makes the participation by the MDC in government complicit in the gross subterfuge.

But even if the audit finally does happen, will they ever be able to work out how much money has be syphoned of by the criminals within ZANU PF? And, even if they are able to quantify it, will they ever be able to identify the architects of such a crime - and will those people ever be taken to a criminal court for their actions?

I very much doubt it.

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"There are reported differences between ZANU PF and MDC ministers over the implementation of a crucial civil servants audit to establish the extent to which the government is staffed by ghost workers.

Different government ministers whose ministries are affected by the outcome of the audit told the Daily News in separate interviews that there is a dispute in the interpretation of the findings.

The Minister of Education Sports and Culture, whose ministry has been the hardest hit by intermittent strike actions said the implementation of the audit recommendations appeared to be in dispute.

"I have seen the report prepared by Ernest and Young. It has already been tabled in cabinet and appears to have been bogged down in cabinet," said Education Minister David Coltart without revealing the actual nature of the differences.

"I am not sure what exactly is happening but perhaps the Minister of Public Service will."

So the veil of secrecy stops with cabinet - and since Mugbe himself presides over that body, I do doubt that the audit will ever take place, and if so, would the findings ever be made public. Once again, I doubt it...

"The skills audit concluded that there are 75 273 ghost workers and recommended that they be removed from the government payroll raising hopes of government workers that money saved from the process might start trickling into their pockets.

However, four months after the report was made public the government is yet to implement its findings.

Hard pressed civil servants have promised to embark on a massive strike if government does not increase the salaries of the depressed civil servants.

Coltart said the slow implementation of the audit is having an effect on the operations of government."

A strike will not do very much in Zimbabwe. Mugabe will order those striking back to work, and if they don't, they will be fired - adding to the mass unemployment already rife in the country...

"The audit has a direct bearing. It’s clear that there are workers who should not be in government employment although the resuscitation of the economy is the ultimate solution," said Coltart."

In possibly one of the silliest comments I have read of late, Saviour Kasukuwere said, "Have you ever seen a ghost worker?" or words to that effect.

Of course a ghost worker has never been seen as they are employees that don't exist!

To quote Homer Simpson... "Doh!"

Robb WJ Ellis

The Bearded Man