Govt warns ‘ erring ‘ council workers in Mbala district

Northern Province Permanent Secretary (PS) Hlobota Nkunika is disappointed that Mbala Municipal Council did not follow the procurement procedure in purchase of second hand road equipment.

Mr. Nkunika has since warned of disciplinary action that would be found wanting.

He said this in Mbala yesterday when he led a team of government officers from Kasama and Mbala in inspecting the equipment procured through Constituency Development Funds.

Mr. Nkunika said it was against the procurement procedure for Mbala Municipal Council to pay the supplier of the road equipment in full even before receiving all the pieces of equipment.

He said the local authority was supposed to make the final payment after inspecting expressing satisfaction with the goods received.

And the CDF Committee also questioned the durable of the equipment, saying the delivered items were differently from ones initially procured by Mbala Municipal Council.

The Committee has since called for action against the culprits involved in the scandal.

Meanwhile, some Mbala residents expressed gratitude that the availability of the road equipment in the District saying it will create jobs to them.

Mbala Municipal Council acquired earth moving equipment at a cost of K1.8 million from Dar-Express Zambia Limited and paid the Company K 1 million as the initial payment instead of 25 percent of the total cost.

The Council further paid the supplier the balance of K800, 000 before receiving and inspecting the equipment in question.