Youth Development Chairperson’s K281,084.83 allowances questioned

TIZ Executive Director Goodwell Lungu says his organization has particularly noted that over 32% of the institution funding received by NYDC for the past seven months from January to July in 2014 has been allegedly spent on the NYDC Board chairperson Dr. Chishimba through his sitting allowances totaling K102,000.00 and subsistence allowances totaling K120,564.91.

Mr. Lungu has told Qfm news in a statement that his organization’s assessment therefore, from all documents available shows that the institution received a total funding of K875, 000 minus committed expenses.

He says out of this amount, a total of K281, 084.83 is alleged to have been spent on the Board chairperson’s expenses.

The TIZ Executive Director states that his organization is thus challenging Dr. Chishimba to state if these payments are justified or not.

He says this is why TIZ is wondering whether it is justifiable to use or pay a Board Chair such colossal amounts at the expense of programmes that are supposed to benefit the youths.

Mr. Lungu notes that TIZ has also assessed that there are many allegations of irregularities at the NYDC pertaining to irregular payments, irregular and excess recruitments and that TIZ fully appreciate the fact that a Board Chairperson needs to be paid but that such alleged huge amounts raise concern.

He says it is for this reason that TIZ further had the courtesy of verifying all these aspects and wrote to the Permanent Secretary on 18th August 2014 at the Ministry of Youth and Sport to clarify if it was the corporate policy of NYDC and the Ministry to spend public funds in this particular fashion.

He states that TIZ further sought clarity if it was a corporate requirement for the Board Chairperson to have a specific office at the NYDC Secretariat and operate as though he was a full time employee.

Mr. Lungu says this is in addition to other clarity his organization sought on how much was budgeted for the Board Chairperson compared to what was being paid.

He says the Permanent Secretary has since responded to TIZ’s letter and confirmed that there was an audit at NYDC but that the Permanent Secretary did not however respond to the specific issues that TIZ raised that needed clarification.

Mr. Lungu adds that the Ministry has however promised to furnish TIZ with specific details once they receive the audit in the next few days.